Sweet Dreams
by Heavenly Pearl
Summary: The Silver Crystal has been stolen by an old enemy, out for revenge. Will ChibiUsa and a new generation of Sailor Soldiers be able to stop the enemy from carrying the ultimate revenge and save both NeoQueen Serenity and Priest Helios?
1. Introduction

Sweet Dreams

Introduction

After the Sailor Moon from the past defeated the Black Moon family, Crystal Tokyo was finally able to enjoy an era of peace. All the planets lived in harmony, and the universe only knew love, beauty, and happiness.

Chibi-Usa, daughter of Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion and the crown princess of Silver Millennium, returned from her training in the past more determined than ever to become a proper lady like her mother and to win the heart of her beloved Helios.

The years had been good to her, and Chibi-Usa blossomed into a beautiful young lady of sixteen. She was now a student at an exclusive private girls' school along with the other sailor princesses.

She was a close friend with all the sailor princesses, the daughters of the original Sailor Soldiers who had fought along side of Neo-Queen Serenity when she was still known as Sailor Moon. Now the scouts all had jobs on the royal court, and everybody lived together in the Crystal Palace as a big, happy extended family.

Queen Ami, also known as Sailor Mercury, was the guardian of education and was also the principal of Crystal Tokyo Girls' Academy. Before she was crowned, Ami was a doctor, just like she had always planned. She married Ryo, the psychic boy who was a rainbow crystal carrier, and they had a daughter named Tomoko. Of course, Tomoko was now the school's top student, with an IQ possibly even higher than her mother's.

As Sailor Mars, Queen Rei was known for her fiery temper, and her daughter Katsuna was following in her footsteps, as stubborn as she was beautiful. Rei eventually married Yuuichiro, the rock star turned caretaker who worked at her grandpa's temple. She was the head priestess of the shrine until her coronation. Now her job was the guardian of the military, making sure that Crystal Tokyo and therest of the planets were protected from the threat of invaders.

Amaya, crown princess of Jupiter and the tomboy of the group, was the daughter of Queen Makoto and her husband Shinozaki. After years of a so-called "platonic" relationship, they finally declared their true feelings for each other and were married. As guardian of food and agriculture, Sailor Jupiter made sure there was enough food for the entire kingdom. She also managed to achieve her dream of owning a restaurant._ Clouds_ was Crystal Tokyo's finest eating establishment, known throughout the galaxy for its irresistible desserts. Amaya adored Makoto's cherry pie.

Sailor Venus, or Queen Minako as she was now known, was a famous actress before she took the throne. Now she prefered the quiet life with her husband Asai (the volleyball player she had a crush on in junior high), her daughter Anzura, and of course, her guardian cat Artemis. She was the guardian of love, mostly in charge of marriage licenses and giving love advice on the radio. Like her mother, Anzura loved being in the spotlight. Considered to be one of the most beautiful women in the universe, she balanced a successful modeling career with school. She also had a steady boyfriend, Goku.

Goku was actually the only sailor prince and attended the nearby Crystal Tokyo Boys' Academy. All the other girls had huge crushes on him, and he liked to take advantage of that, flirting shamelessly with all of them, but when it really came down to it, his heart belonged to Anzura. His twin sister, the elegant Nagisa, was a talented violinist like her mother, Queen Michiru of Neptune. Goku took more after his father/mother Haruka, ruler of Uranus. Sailor Uranus was the guardian of athletes and ensured that every competitionwas fair. As guardian of the arts, Sailor Neptune's job was to nurture aspiring artists and to protect their works from harm.

Queen Hotaru married Neo-Queen Serenity's brother Shingo and was now the queen's sister-in-law. Sailor Saturn, like Mercury, became a doctor and was now guardian of health, working to save the world rather than destroy it. Her daughter Shizu was Chibi-Usa's best friend, and they had a relationship much like the one Chibi-Usa had with Hotaru during her training in the past.

The final queen was Setsuna, the guardian of time. During the famous battle against the Black Moon, Sailor Pluto used her forbidden power to stop time and was killed in punishment. As the solitary protector of the Gate of Time, Setsuna never married but gave birth to a daughter, whose father she refused to name. Masago was older than the other girls and attended Crystal Tokyo University. She now lived in an apartment near the palace, but visited her friends often. Masago was Chibi-Usa's idol, with her exotic beauty and excitinglifestyle free of parental control, but Masago's secret dream was to discover the identity of her father and be a part of a family again.

It seemed that the peaceful life they were enjoying would last for all eternity, but now an old enemy and her son threaten to destroy Crystal Tokyo and the entire kingdom. Will a new generation of Sailor Soldiers be able to defeat this powerful villainess before she can carry out her ultimate revenge?

DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon is the property of Takeuchi Naoko.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is the second story of my _Generations _series. It can be read by itself, but if you would like to know what happens before and after the story, check out _Sands of Time (Destiny Arrives) _and _Star Crossed Lovers._


	2. Act 1 Fun and Games

Act One - Fun and Games

"Small Lady, it is time to get up!" Diana said, shaking the princess with her paws. Chibi-Usa briefly opened her eyes, then flipped over and hid her head under the pillow. "I mean it. You're going to be late for school again."

"Go away, Diana," she mumbled. "It's way too early to get out of bed."

Diana was getting frustrated. They went through this same routine every single morning. She gave Chibi-Usa one final shove, knocking her off the bed.

"Hey, what's the big idea?" Chibi-Usa asked, finally wide wake. She stood up and yawned. Somebody needed to teach that cat some manners.

"I'm sorry, Princess, but I really didn't have a choice. Waking you upin the morning is like moving a mountain with your bare hands."

Chibi-Usa picked up her brush and began brushing her long pink hair, remembering the dream she had last night. She smiled at the memory and started humming to herself, off in her own dream world.

"You sure sound surprisingly happy this morning," Diana commented. "Planning a major shopping spree with Anzura-sama after school?"

"Oh, Diana, I had the most wonderful dream," she exclaimed, walking into the bathroom to take a bath. She turned on the faucet and poured some lavender bubble bath into the water. "I was in the garden, watching the sunrise with Helios and I finally told him about how I feel about him. He took me in his arms and said he loved me too. Then, as the first ray of sunshine appeared on the horizon, he gave me the sweetest kiss on the lips. It was magical, just like out of a fairy tale."

She breathed a dreamy sigh and got settled into the warm bath. "Do you think that Helios will ever tell me that he loves me?" she asked Diana, blowing a bubble toward the cat.

"If that is truly how he feels, I'm sure he will tell you in time. But maybe you should consider checking out other options. What about Goku-sama's friend, that nice boy who asked you to the Crystal Ball?"

"You have got to be kidding me, Diana!" she exclaimed, making a disgusted face. "Toshihiro-kun's a nice guy, but he's kind of a dork. Besides, it's my destiny to be with Helios, he just doesn't realize it yet."

Diana rolled her eyes as Chibi-Usa got out of the tub and brushed her teeth. The girl had a major crush in this guy, but Diana was worried Chibi-Usa was setting herself up for heartache. He was so much older than she was. What could they possibly have in common?

"I saw that," she teased, styling her hair into two "meatballs". As a final touch, she draped her mother's star locket around her neck. "I know you think this is just a silly teenage crust, but I've loved Helios ever since I was eight years old and I know he feels the same about me."

She glanced at her bunny-shaped alarm clock. If she didn't hurry, she would be late for school again. Chibi-Usa grabbed her book bag and ran out of the room with Diana right on her heels.

"Why didn't you tell me it was so late?" she groaned. The last thing she felt like doing after school was sitting in detention. Everybody was planning to go to the arcade after class, and she was determined to win back her racing title from Goku.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Neo-Queen Serenity was standing at the door with a large satchel in her hands.

"Here's your lunch, sweetheart," she said, handing the bag to her daughter. "Mako-chan made your favorites."

"Thanks, Mother."

Chibi-Usa gave her mother a kiss on the cheek and ran out of the palace. She was going to be sooo late!

As she watched her daughter and Diana racing to beat the morning bell, the queen smiled. She remembered all the mornings she ran to class, hoping Ms. Haruna was in a good mood and wouldn't give her detention, with Luna trailing behind her with the lunch she forgot on the kitchen table. That was so long ago. When did she get so old?

* * *

Chibi-Usa and Diana walked into the local arcade after spending an hour in detention for being late to class. Her brain was totally worn out, but she was sure a nice game of Indy 500 would cure her blues.

"Hi, Chibi-Usa-chan," her best friend Shizu greeted them, waving from one of the game machines. "Did you have detention again?"

"You know, you really ought to try harder to get to school on time," Katsuna advised her. "I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if you were late for your own funeral."

Chibi-Usa stuck her tongue out at her friend and took a seat at her favorite racing game. Katsuna could really get on her nerves sometimes. Well, actually, it was all the time. The two of them were always fighting or teasing each other.

"Goku-kun, ready to race? Or are you chicken?"

Anzura's handsome boyfriend took a seat beside Chibi-Usa and placed a gold token into the coin slot. "You know I'm ready, but I still don't understand why you insist on challenging me every time we come to the arcade. You're never going to beat me again, so you might as well give it up now while you still have some dignity left."

"We'll see about that, Ego-san."

Everybody gathered around the two racers as the game began. Chibi-Usa pressed down on the accelerator with all her might, taking the early lead, but Goku wouldn't be so easy to beat. He quickly pulled ahead of her car and stayed there until the end. Now matter how hard she tried, Chibi-Usa couldn't pass him. Goku was just too good.

When his car crossed the finish line about three seconds before Chibi-Usa's, she banged the steering wheel in frustration. Goku beat her again. Total embarrassment.

"Looks like I win again, Squirt," he declared, calling her one of her most hated nicknames. "Are you finally ready to admit that I am the undisputed king of virtual auto racing?"

"Never! In fact, I challenge you to a rematch, Tenoh Goku, right here, right now."

He laughed at her spunk as Anzura took a seat on his lap and kissed him on the lips. Goku had to admire Chibi-Usa's determination, but the poor girl never had a chance, although she was steadily getting better. Today's time was her best yet.

"Will you two just give up this petty rivalry?" Anzura suggested. "It's beginning to become a little ridiculous."

"I won't give up until I win!" Chibi-Usa insisted.

"So, does everybody have a date for the Crystal Ball?" Nagisa asked, changing the subject. "Oki-kun asked me to go with him this afternoon. He's so cute. I can't wait!"

"I got my date," Anzura said, gazing adoringly into Goku's eyes. Lucky girl. She always had a date whenever she needed one.

"I'm going with Toshihiro-kun."

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, HA, HA, HA!

Tomoko blushed very prettily as Chibi-Usa burst into a gale of laughter. "Chibi-Usa-chan, don't laugh at me," she whined. "After you dashed all his dreams with your refusal to go to the ball with him, Toshihiro-kun asked me, and I couldn't bear to say no to his kind invitation. Besides, he's a sweet boy and very intelligent, too."

"I can not believe you are taking Toshihiro-kun to the ball," Chibi-Usa said, still giggling uncontrollably. "It's too hilarious. That guy couldn't dance if his life depended on it."

Toshihiro was Naru and Umino's son. Since she was the queen's best friend, Serenity and Naru thought it would be very cute if their children got married to each other and pushed them together at every opportunity. Chibi-Usa even went on a date with Toshihiro once, just to humor her mother. It had been a complete disaster, but for some reason he was still madly in love with her.

"Hey, Chibi-Usa-chan, you haven't told us who you are taking to the dance yet," Amaya pointed out. "Is Helios-sama going to be your date or are you bringing an even bigger geek than Toshihiro-kun?"

Chibi-Usa finally stopped laughing. Technically, she still didn't have a date for the Crystal Ball, but she was hoping that Helios would invite her soon. She was planning to visit him in Elysion this weekend. Maybe she would make the first move and ask him out. He wouldn't dare to say no to her then.

"Of course I'm going with Helios," she lied. "Who else is there?"

Anzura, the busybody of the group, leaned toward Chibi-Usa looking for some juicy gossip. "So, does that mean you two are officially and item? Has the crown princess of Silver Millennium finally captured her Prince Charming?"

"No, he still won't reveal his true feelings," she replied mournfully. "But he will someday. I know he will."

Diana yanked on the hem of Chibi-Usa's uniform, trying to get her attention. "Small Lady, we have to go now. It's almost dinner time, and you have a pile of homework to do."

"But we just got here, Diana!"

Sighing, Chibi-Usa reluctantly stood up and said goodbye to her friends. If it were possible, she would probably live in the arcade, but unfortunately it was time to go back to the palace and do her homework. Ugh, homework -- the dirtiest word in the English language.


	3. Act 2 Heartbreak

Act Two - Heartbreak

The princess and her cat arrived at Priest Helios' shrine late Saturday morning. This was going to be a fantastic day. Chibi-Usa reapplied her lipstick and then knocked on the door.

"I don't see why you have to come along," Chibi-Usa grumbled. "I'm sixteen years old, and I can take care of myself. My parents still treat me like a baby."

"As your guardian cat, it is my duty to watch over you and make sure you don't get into trouble," Diana replied. "You will just have to accept the fact that everywhere you go, I go, no matter how old you are."

"How depressing! When is a girl supposed to get a little privacy with the man she loves?" she sighed.

_Where is he?_ Chibi-Usa wondered. _He knows I was planning to visit him today. _She glanced at her watch and knocked on the door again. A few seconds later, Aurora answered the door. She was one of the two Menards who protected the temple and served Priest Helios. Eos was the other maiden.

"Small Lady, it is a pleasure to see you again," Aurora said warmly, showing her inside. "Sorry to keep you waiting. Priest Helios will be with you in a moment."

As Aurora disappeared down the long corridor to announce her presence, Chibi-Usa tugged at the hemline of her new red sheath and smoothed down her hair. She hoped she looked okay. It took her an hour to decide what to wear this morning, wanting to look her best for Helios. She felt the butterflies fluttering in her stomach, as the sound of his footsteps grew louder. What if he refused her invitation to the ball?"

"Maiden, you are finally here," Helios said, giving her a chaste kiss on the cheek. "I'm so glad you were able to come."

"So am I," she whispered, taking in the sweet smell of his cologne. "I have so much to tell you, Helios."

"That can wait until later. First, there's someone who is dying to see you again."

Helios took her hand and dragged a reluctant Chibi-Usa out the door, despite her several pleas to stop. Today was just supposed to be about her and Helios, not a time to catch up with old friends. Her entire day was ruined. "Where are you taking me, Helios?" she asked, finally breaking free of his grasp as Diana caught up with them. "Can we please just go back to the shrine? I have something very important to ask you."

"Close your eyes, my maiden," he whispered, putting a finger to her lips, signaling her to be quiet. She obeyed his command, still confused, but very curious. Helios whistled lightly and Chibi-Usa heard the sound of hooves upon the ground. "Okay. You can open them."

"Pegasus!" she exclaimed, running over to the winged unicorn. "I haven't seen you in ages."

"Would you like to go for a ride?" Helios asked, jumping on the horse's back in one swift motion.

"I would love to." Chibi-Usa took the hand he offered to help lift her up. A ride over Elysion sounded very romantic. "You don't mind, Diana, do you?"

"No, I suppose not," Diana said, "but I want you to meet me back at the shrine at exactly five o'clock. I promised the king and queen that I would have you home by dinner."

"Don't worry, Diana," Helios assured her. "I'll take good care of the princess."

Chibi-Usa wrapped her arms tightly around Helios' waist as Pegasus spread out his wings, preparing for flight. A few seconds later, they were up in the air, flying over the shrine. She looked down and feeling a little scared, tightened her grip on Helios.

Elysion was so beautiful from an aerial view. A blanket of colorful flowers covered the ground like freshly fallen snow. There were streams of crystal clear water flowing from every direction and a gentle breeze tousled the leaves of the tall evergreen trees. Occasionally, they would come across a small cluster of homes, bursting with activity. Chibi-Usa smiled herself as she spied two lovers stealing a kiss under a large oak tree. That would be her and Helios someday. _It must be so wonderful to live in a place as beautiful as Elysion,_ Chibi-Usa thought. _Everyone looks so happy here._

After a couple of hours of flying, Pegasus landed at a secluded cave near the water. Helios helped Chibi-Usa dismount, then took her hand and walked toward the cave. Chibi-Usa followed, glad that they were finally going to have some time alone together.

"It looks like it's going to rain," he remarked, helping Chibi-Usa climb up the jagged rocks. "Look at those dark clouds over there. It's too dangerous to fly back. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," she replied, almost losing her footing on a loose rock. High heels weren't exactly made for rock climbing.

"Are you okay, maiden?" There was a note of worry in his voice. Chibi-Usa nodded and tightened her grip in his fingers. "We are almost there. Just a few more steps…"

They entered the cave just as the heavens began to cry. Helios started a fire with some dry wood he found in the corner. He then took off his cape and laid it on the ground. "Come and sit by the fire, Serenity. It will warm you up."

Feeling a little chilly in the damp cave, she gladly sat down on the makeshift blanket, enjoying the soft yellow glow of the fire. Helios took a seat next to her and pulled out a couple of candy bars. He handed one to Chibi-Usa and began pulling the wrapper off the other one.

"I wish we had some crackers and marshmallows too," Chibi-Usa said, taking a bite of the rich dark chocolate. "Then we could make s'mores like we used to when we were kids."

"It's been a long time since I last ate a s'more," Helios admitted. "I barely even remember what they taste like."

Chibi-Usa know his age was a sore subject with him. Although Helios, like most citizens of Neo-Queen Serenity's kingdom, was blessed with a life of eternal youth and beauty, it still bothered him that he was so much older than she. She, on the other hand, had absolutely no problem with the age difference between them. So what if he was old enough to remember the reign of the first Queen Serenity? He was still the most handsome man she had ever seen in her young life, besides her father.

"So, what was this important thing you wanted to ask me about this morning?" he asked, changing the subject.

She had almost forgotten about that, but once again she could feel the butterflies come back. Her heart began beating like a jackhammer. Maybe she should forget about asking him to the Crystal Ball…

Chibi-Usa took a deep breath, building up courage. She was going to do this if it was the last thing she did. "Well, as you know, the Crystal Ball is coming next weekend," she reminded him, "and I was wondering if you would like to go with me...like as a date."

Helios reached for her hand and stared into her ruby red eyes, unsure of what to say. This was so unexpected. "Serenity," he whispered, giving her hand a tiny squeeze. "I'm flattered that you invited me to the dance…"

"But?"

"But wouldn't you prefer to go with someone your own age?"

Chibi-Usa yanked her hand away from his and turned her back toward Helios, not wanting him to see the tears welling up in her eyes. "Why must you always do this to me, Helios?" she asked, her voice quavering as she struggled to hold back the tears that threatened to fall at any minute. "How many times do I have to tell you that your age doesn't matter to me?"

"But it bothers me, Serenity," he replied.

"My father is several years older than my mother and they don't have a problem with it."

"Maiden…"

"I need some fresh air," Chibi-Usa said softly, standing up and walking outside. The rain had slowed down to a light drizzle, but she barely noticed it. Why did he have to be so stubborn? She knew he was in love with her. She could see it in his eyes. So why did he keep pushing her away? She felt so cold and confused. The tears rolled freely down her face, but Chibi-Usa no longer cared who saw her cry.

"Serenity, I'm sorry." Helios walked up behind Chibi-Usa and draped his cape around her trembling shoulders. "This is all my fault. I knew this day would come but did little to deter it. Please don't cry, my maiden."

"There's nothing you could have done, Helios," she said softly. "I've loved you ever since the day we saved Elysion from Queen Nephrenia's clutches while I was training in the past. I was too young for you then, too, but I hoped that once I returned to Crystal Tokyo and became a proper lady like my mother, you would look at me differently. I guess I was wrong."

Chibi-Usa turned around, and Helios pulled her close, wanting to comfort her but lost for the right works to say. Every sob pieced his already broken heart like a thousand bullets. He handed her his handkerchief and walked over to the edge of the cliff to pick up a single blood red rose.

"Maiden, I wish that things were different, but I'm afraid that is impossible," he finally said, handing her the rose. "You are so young and innocent, Serenity. I'm much more experienced than you are when it comes to matters of the heart. You've probably never even been properly kissed by a man, have you?"

He lifted his hand to touch her cheek, but she turned away. "I must leave now," she said, her voice now cold and distant. "Diana is probably wondering where I am."

Chibi-Usa began climbing down the rocks without even saying goodbye. She heard his voice call her name, offering to take her back to the shrine, but she ignored it. She never wanted to see Priest Helios again.

When she reached the bottom of the cliff, she kicked off her heels and started to run toward the shrine, faster than she ever ran before -- running away from Helios, from love, from her heart. It began to pour again, but she didn't care.

Helios watched her leave, the rain soaking his clothes. He was chilled to the bone, but he barely noticed it. His maiden was gone and he would never see her again. Why was he so stupid?

He had no idea how long he stood there, looking out at his home. Elysion no longer held any beauty for him. It had disappeared along with Serenity.

As he watched the sunset, he noticed a bright light reflected off some object near the edge of the cliff. Curious, he walked over and saw it was Chibi-Usa's necklace. Looking down at it, he remembered Chibi-Usa telling him the legend attached to it.

_"Maiden, why do you always wear that locket?"_

_"It was my mother's. She gave it to me as a present when I returned from training. During her first life, it was a gift she gave my father before the battle with Queen Beryl, so he would always remember her. It is supposed to play a beautiful song when it is opened, but only for two people who are truly in love. Do you think it will ever play for me, Helios?"_

_"Of course it will, maiden. One day, you'll meet the man you are meant to spend the rest of your life with and the love you share will cause the locket to play the song you so long to hear."_

Helios kneeled down and picked up the star-shaped locket. It still looked brand new, although it must be over two thousand years old. Then, without warning, the locket opened and began playing a beautiful melody, the song of love.

"Serenity, my love, I wish you were here to hear this."


	4. Act 3 Sweet Dreams

Act Three - Sweet Dreams

_Knock, knock._

"Small Lady, it's your mother," Neo-Queen Serenity said, knocking on her door. "May I come in?"

"Sure, if you want."

A week had passed since that horrible day in Elysion, but Chibi-Usa still didn't feel any better. Ever since she had returned home, she had become a virtual prisoner in her room, only emerging to eat and to go to school. The last thing she felt like doing was getting all dressed up and going out in public, but tonight was the Crystal Ball. She had to go.

When the queen entered, she found her daughter sitting at the vanity, staring blankly at her reflection in the mirror. She was already dressed in a pale pink satin strapless gown, with a strand of white pearls surrounding each of her "meatballs."

"You look gorgeous, sweetheart," the queen said, placing her hands on bare shoulders. "Are you ready to go downstairs? Everybody's waiting for us."

"Just about," she replied, reaching into her jewelry box and pulling out the diamond bracelet that her parents gave her for her sweet sixteen.

"Where's your locket? Aren't you going to wear it tonight?" her mother asked.

Chibi-Usa touched her neck, suddenly feeling quite naked without the star locket. When she returned home from Elysion, she had noticed it missing and had yet to find it. She had probably lost it in the cave. "I-I can't find it," she stammered, hoping her mother wouldn't be too mad.

"Well, I'm sure it will turn up somewhere."

Just then, Luna, the queen's guardian cat and Diana's mother, walked through the open door. "Your Majesty, the procession is ready."

"Thank you, Luna," she said. "We'll be there in a minute."

As Luna left, Chibi-Usa sighed, plucking a dry petal from the rose Helios gave her. It was all she had left of him.

"Mother, must I go to the ball? I don't think I'm ready to face the world just yet."

The queen took a seat on Chibi-Usa's bed, surprised at her daughter's works. Ever since she was a little girl, Chibi-Usa had loved attending the Crystal Ball. The one year she was unable to go because of the chicken pox, she cried in her room the entire night.

"Come here, honey," she said, patting the bed. Chibi-Usa walked over and took a seat next to her mother, resting her head on her shoulder. "Nobody is going to force you to do something you don't want to do. If you don't want to go, your father and I won't force you, but I do wish you would reconsider. Your friends have been worried about you, Small Lady. Shizu-chan told me that you haven't said a single word to her or anyone else since you returned from Elysion."

"I guess I haven't really felt much like talking," she admitted. "I haven't felt like doing much of anything lately."

"I know you're upset about Helios, but perhaps if you talk about how you feel with your friends, instead of keeping it all bottled up inside, you'll feel better. I know that when Mamo-chan and I fought, I could always depend on the other Sailor Soldiers to cheer me up."

Just then, King Endymion popped his head into the room, looking quite dashing in his old Tuxedo Mask costume. "Serenity, it's time."

The queen gave Chibi-Usa a kiss on the forehead and put on her mask. "Are you coming, Small Lady?" she asked, taking her husband's arm.

Chibi-Usa reluctantly put on her pearl encrusted mask and followed her parents out of the room, thinking it actually might be good for her to go and take her mind off things. They met Rei on the way to the ballroom, and she handed Chibi-Usa a small black velvet pillow holding the Silver Crystal. It would be her job to present the crystal as she did every year.

"Rei-chan, may I speak to you for a moment, privately?" the king asked, pulling Rei aside.

When they were safely out of earshot of the queen and princess, the king asked Rei if the troops were ready. He had gotten word that one of the queen's enemies had escaped from a prison in the Andromeda Galaxy and wanted to make sure that the crystal was safe.

"All the entrances covered, and I've instructed my men that no one is to be admitted to the palace without an invitation stamped with the royal seal," she answered.

"Are you positive that we are taking all the necessary precautions? Queen Jade has stolen the crystal once before, and I have no doubt that she could do it again. I just don't think we are doing all that we can do to ensure it doesn't happen again."

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. The Silver Crystal will be heavily guarded at all times. It will be nearly impossible for anyone to get near that stone without us knowing it."

"It's that nearly part I worry about," he remarked, laughing at himself for being so worried. Of course everything was going to turn out just fine. Crystal Tokyo had the finest troops in the universe. There was nothing to worry about. "You haven't told the queen about the added security, have you? I don't want her to worry."

"She is completely in the dark," she assured him.

The two of them caught up with the rest of the court and got in line for the procession. Each of the ruling families walked into the ballroom first, according to the distance of their planet from the sun. Queen Ami, King Ryo, and Princess Tomoko were at the beginning of the line, and it ended with Princess Masago, walking by herself. Then Luna walked up to the microphone as everybody focused on the grand staircase.

"It is now my great pleasure to present our beloved rulers, Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion, and the crown princess of Silver Millennium, Princess Lady Serenity."

As the royal family descended the stairs down to the ballroom, Chibi-Usa could hear the deafening claps of the people below. She briefly looked down at the crowd, searching for the one person she knew was not there. _He didn't come,_ she thought sadly to herself. Not that she had expected him to, but she wished he had.

She blocked Helios' face out of her mind, chiding herself for that moment of weakness. They had reached the bottom of the staircase and were now walking down a long red carpet toward the thrones. The room suddenly went silent as everyone began to bow. _Please don't trip, _Chibi-Usa said to herself, not wanting a repeat performance of last year's disaster.

It seemed like an eternity had passed, but finally they reached the end of the carpet. The king and queen took their place in front of their respective thrones as Chibi-Usa walked over to the pedestal where the crystal would be kept for all to see, but not touch.

She carefully raised the pillow above her head and repeated the speech she said every year."Citizens of Crystal Tokyo, I present to you the source of our life, the Silver Crystal."

As the crowd erupted into wild cheers, Chibi-Usa placed the pillow on the pedestal and took a seat on her throne beside the queen. The crystal was promptly surrounded by a group of nine men in military uniforms from each of the planets.

"See, that wasn't so bad," the queen whispered, placing a comforting hand over her daughter's.

"I think I'm going to go mingle," Chibi-Usa said, spotting her friends over in the corner with their dates. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all," she replied, giving Chibi-Usa a small smile. "Go out there and have some fun. You deserve it."

Chibi-Usa stood up and began slowly walking toward the group. About halfway there, Chibi-Usa felt a small shiver go up her spine. It almost felt like somebody was following her, but when she turned around, no one was there. _It must be my imagination,_ she thought, continuing on.

"Hey, guys!" she exclaimed, walking over to hello to her friends. "You all look absolutely wonderful."

"Chibi-Usa-chan!"

She had never been hugged so much in her entire life. You would have thought she had been gone for twenty years.

"We've been so worried about you, Chibi-Usa-chan," Shizu said, giving her another hug. "How are you holding up?"

"Not very well," Chibi-Usa admitted.

Sensing the onset of a girls only kind of conversation, the girls' dates politely excused themselves from the group and went over to the refreshment table, giving them some privacy to talk about what happened between Chibi-Usa and Helios.

"Diana told us that you and Helios had a huge fight," Amaya said. "What happened? I thought things were going so well between the two of you."

"I thought so, too," Chibi-Usa said softly. "The truth is I lied when I told you that Helios was going to be my date tonight. I hadn't even asked him yet, but I was jealous when I heard about the great dates you all had, even you, Tomo-chan." She gave her friend a small smile."I really though he would say yes to my invitation, but he refused to go with me. He didn't even give me an excuse, like he had work to do at the shrine or he was feeling sick. He just flat out told me that maybe it would be best if I asked someone my own age."

"That was kind of harsh," Katsuna remarked.

"I know there is a huge gap between our ages, but I was willing to overlook it," Chibi-Usa continued. "Helios wasn't. I tried to get him to change his mind, but nothing I said made a difference. I finally got fed up with him and left."

"Who would blame you?" Anzura said. "If Goku ever said anything like that, I would slap him right across that handsome face. But I wouldn't worry too much about it, Chibi-Usa-chan. You and Helios belong together, and someday he's going to realize that."

"Did I hear my name?" Goku asked, coming up behind Anzura and handing her a glass of champagne. "I hope you weren't saying anything bad about me."

"Of course not, baby."

Goku wrapped his arms around Anzura's tiny waist and began lightly kissing her neck. _Must they always be so affectionate?_ Chibi-Usa thought bitterly. She excused herself and went out for some fresh air.

The night sky looked incredibly beautiful tonight. A full moon shone brightly, bathing Crystal Tokyo in a soft glow, and stars dotted the darkness like little candles. Chibi-Usa spotted a meteor flying across the sky and closed her eyes to make a wish. _I wish Helios would someday reveal his true feelings to me._

"Hi, Chibi-Usa-chan," Masago said, coming out onto the balcony and interrupting her thoughts. "You ran out of there fairly quick. Is something wrong?"

"Not really. I just didn't feel like watching Goku-kun and Anzura-chan play kissy face the entire night."

"They are quite fond of each other, aren't they?" she giggled. "Don't let it get to you, Chibi-Usa-chan. They aren't doing it on purpose."

Chibi-Usa looked out at the city. "So, Kado-kun seems like a nice guy," she said, referring to the hunk Masago brought to the dance.

"He's absolutely wonderful," Masago said, smiling brightly. "We've actually been talking about moving in together after graduation. I have to move into Charon Castle to take over my mother's duty as the guardian of time, and Kado wants to come too, but it's not official yet. I still have to get your mother's permission since commoners aren't allowed to know about the Gate of Time."

"I'm sure you'll get her approval," Chibi-Usa assured her, not really paying attention. "I hope you two are very happy together."

"Oh, Chibi-Usa-chan, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have gone on about me and Kado when you're going through such a difficult time…"

"It's okay, Masago-sempai."

Chibi-Usa began fidgeting with the clasp on her diamond bracelet. It was an annoying habit of hers that she was trying to break.

"Masago-sempai, can I ask you something?" she asked. "When will I meet the man I'm supposed to spend the rest of my life with?"

"You already have," she answered with a smile. As the daughter of the guardian of time, Masago had the ability to see into the future, although she rarely used her powers, preferring to be surprised by life's little ups and downs.

"Who is it? It better not be Toshihiro-kun. There is absolutely no way I'm ever going to get married to that dork, even if he was the last man in Crystal Tokyo."

"No, it's not Toshihiro-kun." Masago laughed and started to go back inside. "You wouldn't want to know, believe me. That's the best thing about love, the not knowing. Everyday should be an adventure. Life would be boring if you knew exactly what would happen all the time. Think about it."

With that thought, Masago disappeared into the crowd, leaving Chibi-Usa alone again. She sighed. Masago was so lucky with a fantastic boyfriend who loved her with all his heart. She thought about Masago's words. If she could see into the future, would she really want to know what was going to happen? It would be nice to know what questions were going to be on tests at school, but she did love to be surprised…

Another shiver went up her spine, just like the one she felt before. Chibi-Usa turned around and found herself staring into the most incredible emerald green eyes she had ever seen.

"Princess, may I have this dance?" a handsome man asked.

Struck by his good looks, she silently took the hand he offered, and he led her to the center of the dance floor, pulling her close.

_Wow! This guy is a total hunk,_ she thought as they began dancing to the romantic music. _And he's not a bad dancer, either._ She looked over his shoulder and noticed that all the other couples had stopped dancing. All eyes were on them.

"Who is that man dancing with the princess?" Luna asked her husband Artemis. They were among the crowd watching the princess and the man dance. "He looks familiar. Do you know him?"

"No, I don't believe I do. Perhaps he's a friend of Goku-kun's," Artemis suggested.

"He looks too old to be a high school student."

When the song finally ended, the mystery man kissed Chibi-Usa's hand and promptly turned to leave. "Wait. You never told me your name. Who are you?" Chibi-Usa asked, surprised that he was leaving already.

"The name's Damian."

With those words, he vanished into the mob, leaving Chibi-Usa in the middle of the room, confused and intrigued. Where did he come from? Would she ever see him again?

* * *

It was time to put his plan in action. This would be as easy as taking candy from a baby. He pulled out a small pouch from his pocket, containing a potent sleeping formula and put on a doctor's mask. One sniff of this stuff, and a person would be knocked out cold.

He then opened the bag and poured the powder into the main air duct. Soon, all the guests and military men would be taking an unexpected nap. It was so simple, it was brilliant. With everyone sleeping, he would be free to steal the Silver Crystal. Now, there nothing left to do but wait.

* * *

"Do you smell something, Goku?" Anzura asked, suddenly feeling very tired. "It smells so sweet, like icing on a…"

"Wake me up when…"

Goku leaned against the wall and slid to the floor, his eyes closed. The man's plan had worked. The crystal was theirs.


	5. Act 4 Birth of the Sailor NeoSoldiers

Act Four - Birth of the Sailor Neo-Soldiers

Chibi-Usa was the first person to wake up about an hour later. She rubbed her eyes and looked around the sleeping guests. _What happened here?_ she asked herself, feeling a little dizzy. Was she still at the ball?

Instinctively, she looked up at the pedestal. The Silver Crystal was gone. Chibi-Usa ran over to her parents and began shaking her mother violently.

"Mother, wake up!" she pleaded as Luna walked up behind her. "The crystal's missing! Mother, you have to wake up! Open your eyes, please!"

"Small Lady, what happened?" the queen asked, finally waking up. She looked confused and bewildered. "I was talking to your father, then I must have blacked out or something…"

"I'm not really sure," she admitted. "The last thing I remembered is dancing with Damian. I just woke up a few minutes ago and discovered the crystal is missing."

"The Silver Crystal is gone?" she whispered, letting it all sink in. "That's impossible. The soldiers…"

Neo-Queen Serenity carefully stood up and walked over to the pedestal, stepping over one of the sleeping guards. The pillow had been knocked off, but there was no sign of the crystal anywhere. Chibi-Usa was right. The crystal had been stolen.

"What did you say the name of your dance partner was?" Luna asked Chibi-Usa, who was now trying to wake her father.

"His name was Damian," she answered. "Do you know him, Luna? I've never seen him before."

"I'm afraid I do," Luna replied, finally remembered why the man seemed so familiar. "Did he tell you anything about himself, like where he was from, why he was here?"

"No."

The king opened his eyes and gave Chibi-Usa and Luna a quizzical stare. Chibi-Usa helped him sit up and handed him a glass of water as Luna filled him in on the news.

"Queen Jade," he whispered. "She's the one behind this, Small Lady. She outsmarted us again with her magic."

"You're tired, Father," Chibi-Usa replied. "You're not thinking straight. Queen Jade is in prison in Andromeda. She couldn't have stolen the crystal. It's impossible.

"No, she escaped three days ago. I thought we had everything under control, but she somehow… This is all my fault. I should have told your mother, and we could have canceled the ball, protected the crystal…"

Chibi-Usa gave her father a small hug. "It's not your fault, Father."

"Sweetheart, will you wake up the other guardians?" the queen instructed her, walking over to her husband and daughter. "Tell them to meet us in the conference room."

Her parents exchanged a few words, and then left the ballroom. Chibi-Usa went over to her Aunt Hotaru and began waking everybody up.

"Luna, give me a hand, will you?"

* * *

"Look at it, my son," Queen Jade said, holding the shining crystal in her hand. "Such beauty, and it is finally ours. The Silver Crystal and Neo-Queen Serenity's kingdom belong to the Dark Kingdom. You have done well."

"Those idiots at the Crystal Palace were easy to fool," Damian bragged. "I'm almost disappointed that I didn't have the chance to battle with the legendary champion of justice, Sailor Moon."

Queen Jade laughed at her son's arrogance. He would soon be granted his wish. No doubt Sailor Moon and her pesky little sidekicks would attempt to recapture the crystal, but this time she would be ready for them.

Sweet revenge. Neo-Queen Serenity would pay for putting her in that horrid place for all those years. She was going to pay dearly. Nobody messed with Queen Jade and got away with it.

"Gather the troops," she ordered. "Every precaution must be taken. This time I will not fail."

* * *

Neo-Queen Serenity took a seat at the end of the long table, looking around at the other Sailor Soldier's face. They were obviously in shock, especially Rei, who kept apologizing profusely for letting the crystal fall into the wrong hands.

"I want to know why no one bothered to tell me that Queen Jade had escaped," she demanded, trying to hold back her anger. "As queen of Silver Millennium, it's my duty and responsibility to know about any possible threats to the security of the kingdom."

"We honestly thought that we had everything under control," Rei replied. "The king felt it would be best that you didn't hear the news unless it was absolutely necessary. You're been under so much stress lately…"

"I don't want to hear it, Rei." The queen stood up again and began pacing the room. "How much do we know for sure about the heist? Did somebody happen to see anyone at the ball acting suspicious?"

"Damian was at the ball," Luna revealed. "Small Lady danced with him. I knew I had seen him before, but I couldn't remember where until she told me his name. He's all grown up, but still the same boy."

"Are you positive, Luna? He must have been the one who stole the crystal!" Makoto said.

Ami was busy typing on her laptop computer. After entering some information, she looked up at the queen. "Your Majesty, I've been analyzing some air particles from the ballroom. It seems that some sort of sleeping potion or gas was behind this. Damian must have released it through one of the air ducts."

"I say we go to Andromeda and destroy that bitch, like we should have done the last time," Haruka said, banging her fist on the table. The shock waves caused Michiru's glass to fall over, spilling champagne on her lap.

"Honey, you have got to remain calm." Michiru began wiping up the mess. "You know we couldn't kill Jade. Her son was only eight years old at the time and needed his mother."

"Well, he isn't a child anymore."

_What are we going to do?_ Serenity asked herself, biting her bottom lip. If the crystal weren't recovered soon, Crystal Tokyo would be destroyed.

"Queen, we await your orders," Minako said. "The others and I are prepared to fight."

King Endymion had been quiet throughout the meeting, deep in thought, but now stood up and cleared his throats. The Sailor Soldiers looked up at their king as he began to speak.

"I'm afraid that would be impossible, Minako-chan. We need you all here to rule over your planets. Even a short absence from your post could spark a rebellion, and that is the last thing we need at a time like this. We have enough problems just keeping the Plutonians in line until Masago can take the crown."

"But what other option do we have?" Makoto asked. "Without the crystal, it doesn't really matter what happens within the kingdom. Either way, the kingdom is doomed."

"We could awaken the children," he suggested quietly.

There was a loud silence in the room. Nobody wanted to send the children into battle, especially against Queen Jade, but there seemed to be no other choice.

"No, Mamo-chan," the queen whispered, walking over to her husband. "Small Lady doesn't have enough experience yet and the others have just begun training. We would be sending them into a death trap. It's just too dangerous, and I won't allow it."

"I wish we didn't have to, Usako. Really I do, but we don't have a choice. Without the Silver Crystal, the kingdom will cease to exist. Awakening the children is the only way to restore peace. They are our only hope."

* * *

Meanwhile, back in the ballroom, Chibi-Usa and her friends were hanging out on one of the balconies. The other guests had already left. It was definitely a night no one would soon forget.

"I can't believe this is actually happening," Nagisa exclaimed. "What's going to happen to us, Chibi-Usa-chan?"

"I don't know, Nagisa-chan, I just don't know."

"This is torture," Goku complained. "I can't just stand around and do nothing while the fate of the kingdom hangs on a very thread. I wish there was something we could do. If I ever lay my eyes on the person who did this… He's dead."

"Goku, please don't talk that way," Anzura pleaded. "Why must you always have such violent thoughts?"

Just then, Artemis appeared, startling them. "The queen requests your presence in the conference room," he announced.

* * *

"Mother, what's wrong?" Chibi-Usa asked the queen as she took a seat beside her father. It appeared her mother had been crying. Her eyes were red and puffy. "Are you okay?"

_Okay?!_ Serenity thought. She was sending her only daughter into battle against a powerful enemy. Of course she wasn't okay. After much deliberation, she and the others had finally agreed to awaken their children. It was a difficult decision, but they truly were the only hope for the kingdom.

After taking a deep breath to calm herself, Neo-Queen Serenity walked over to the bookcase and pulled out a mint condition copy of the first Sailor V comic book. To their amazement, the bookcase swung opened like a door to reveal a large safe. She entered the combination and pulled out a box.

"I suppose you are all wondering why I called you here," the queen said, trying to keep her composure. "As you know, the crystal has been stolen. We have all agreed that it would be unwise for the other queens and I to leave the kingdom to reclaim the crystal. We are needed here to keep the peace between the planets."

Chibi-Usa couldn't believe her ears. She didn't just hear her mother give up. That wasn't like her at all. "So that's it? You're going to let Queen Jade take control of the kingdom without even a fight?"

"No."

The queen pulled out a key and unlocked the box. "In this box rests your transformation pens. I was hoping to give these to you after you completed your training, but I'm giving them to you now. I know you've just begun your instruction, but I have faith in you all."

"You're awakening us?" Chibi-Usa gasped. Her dream of becoming a proud Sailor Soldier was finally coming true. This was unbelievable!

"Yes, my precious daughter." The queen reached into the box and pulled out a heart-shaped brooch and a wand. "Small Lady, this is your transformation brooch and Rose Petal Scepter. As the new Sailor Moon, we are counting on you to guide a new generation of Sailor Soldiers and bring the Silver Crystal back to Crystal Tokyo. Do you accept your new position as the leader of the Sailor Neo-Soldiers?"

"I accept my duty as Sailor Moon with a pure heart and a strong spirit," Chibi-Usa said solemnly, although inside she couldn't help but jump for joy.

The queen handed her daughter the brooch and wand as the sign to the moon appeared on Chibi-Usa's forehead. She was finally a full-fledged Sailor Soldier.

The ceremony continued with each new Sailor Soldier receiving his or her transformation device and the blessings of their planets. It may have come sooner than expected, but their parents' hearts were filled with pride as they looked on. Then the Neo-Soldiers transformed for the first time.

Moon Prism Power!  
Mercury Power!  
Venus Power!  
Mars Power!  
Jupiter Power!  
Saturn Power!  
Uranus Power!  
Neptune Power!  
Pluto Power!

"I hereby name you the Sailor Neo-Soldiers, protectors of Crystal Tokyo and guardians of the solar planets."

* * *

The king and queen both agreed that it was too late to go after Queen Jade that night, so everybody went to their rooms and tried to go to sleep. They would be leaving for Andromeda early the next morning.

"Small Lady, you have got to get some sleep," Diana urged. "Nobody ever saved the world snoozing and snoring through a battle."

"I can't, Diana," Chibi-Usa said, clutching her brooch under her pillow. "I'm too excited too sleep."

She jumped out of bed and looked out the window at the tranquil sky. Chibi-Usa wondered what would happen tomorrow. For the first time since her awakening, she began to doubt her abilities. What were her parents thinking? She wasn't ready to become Sailor Moon.

"I don't think I can do this. Are we really ready to go up against Queen Jade?" she asked, unaware she had spoken aloud.

Diana jumped up on the windowsill and stared straight into Chibi-Usa's eyes. "This is not the time for self-doubt. The queen would not have awakened you if she didn't think you and the others could handle it. All you have to do is believe in yourself and everything will turn out just fine."

"I wish I could believe that, Diana. If only it were that simple, but we have to face the facts. Queen Jade has the most powerful weapon in the world on her side, the Silver Crystal. And what do I have? Just my Pink Moon Crystal, which hasn't yet reached its maximum power. The odds of us defeating her are like a billion to one."

Chibi-Usa opened the brooch and lightly touched the pale pink crystal inside, feeling its power. The stone sparkled in the moonlight. _If only I had more power,_ she thought, closing the compact.

"Small Lady, the Silver Crystal is not invincible," Diana revealed.

"What are you talking about, Diana? Have you been sniffing too much catnip?"

Diana jumped off the windowsill and walked over to Chibi-Usa's book bag, which she had carelessly thrown on the floor. "If you had paid attention during your study of ancient civilizations, you would know that there is one crystal that contains even more power than the Silver Crystal. It was called the Rainbow Friendship Crystal."

The gray kitten dug through the bag and pulled out Chibi-Usa's history textbook. "Turn to page 132 and read the paragraph at the bottom of the page."

Chibi-Usa opened the book and began reading the article aloud:

_During the reign of Queen Iris three thousand years ago, the Dark Kingdom, led by the evil Queen Jewel, attacked Silver Millennium. During the battle, the enemy stole Iris' Silver Crystal. As a final attempt to regain her kingdom, the queen summoned the power of the planets in the form of nine colorful crystals. When the crystals combined, they formed the Rainbow Friendship Crystal, a single stone containing the sum of the kingdom's power. Using that power, Iris was able to defeat Jewel's forces and recover the Silver Crystal. Unfortunately, the great amount of energy needed to use the crystal depleted the queen's strength, and she died shortly after. The whereabouts of the Rainbow Friendship Crystal have remained a mystery, but most experts believe the crystal was destroyed. The queen's 16 year-old daughter Serenity was then crowned queen of Silver Millennium. You will study more about Queen Serenity's reign in the next chapter._

Chibi-Usa closed the book and got back into bed. Suddenly she was very sleepy. Studying usually had that effect on her. If only the Rainbow Friendship Crystal still existed…

"Goodnight, Diana."

"Goodnight, Small Lady."


	6. Act 5 The Labyrinth, Part 1

Act Five - The Labyrinth, Part 1

As the first ray of sunshine appeared on the horizon, Chibi-Usa opened her eyes. For once, she wasn't going to be late. She reached under her pillow and pulled out the brooch. This was it. They were going to Andromeda.

She got out of bed, held the brooch high in the air, and called, "MOON PRISM POWER!"

After transforming, Sailor Moon ran down to the garden with Diana trailing closely behind. The other scouts had already transformed and were waiting by the fountain.

"How's everybody doing?" she asked, taking a seat beside Shizu, transformed as Sailor Saturn. "Is everyone ready to defeat Queen Jade?"

"I've never been more ready for anything in my life," Goku said, pumping his fists. As the first male Sailor Soldier of the Moon Kingdom, Sailor Uranus was dressed in a decidedly more masculine sailor suit with a pair of gray slacks and a yellow shirt, instead of the mandatory short shirt and bows the rest of the girls had to wear. "Queen Jade is going to get what she deserves."

Sailor Moon's parents walked over to the fountain. Neo-Queen Serenity looked positively horrible. Her hair was disheveled, and it appeared that she didn't get a wink of sleep. The king didn't look much better with bloodshot eyes and a five o'clock shadow.

"I'm sure you are all anxious to get going, so I'll try to keep my goodbyes short," the queen said, giving her daughter a kiss on the cheek. "I just want you to know that King Endymion and I believe in you with all our hearts. This isn't going to be an easy battle, but you can do it. I know you can."

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. We will bring the Silver Crystal back to Crystal Tokyo. You can count on the Sailor Neo-Soldiers," Sailor Jupiter, known as Amaya in civilian form, assured her.

"Queen Jade may have the crystal, but you have an even greater power, your friendship. With the power of friendship, anything is possible. Remember that, okay?"

The Neo-Soldiers grabbed each other's hands and formed a circle, Diana jumping on Sailor Moon's shoulder. There was no way she was going to let her mistress face this battle without her. Sailor Moon took one last look at her parents and saw her mother mouth the words, "I'll always be with you." Sailor Moon smiled, feeling much better, than regained her concentration.

SAILOR TELEPORT!

In a great flash of light, the Sailor Neo-Soldiers disappeared. Their greatest journey had just begun. King Endymion gave his wife a hug, and then they walked back to the palace, holding each other up for support.

* * *

"I guess this is the place," Tomoko, the new Sailor Mercury, remarked, pulling out her mini-computer.

The Neo-Soldiers had landed on a dry, barren planet in the Andromeda Galaxy. There was no sign of life to be found. It was almost like the planet was dead.

"Personally, I don't see why anyone would want to build a hideout in this horrible place," Anzura, who was Sailor Venus, commented. "There's not even a mall or a beauty parlor in sight."

"I'm sure Queen Jade has more important things to do than get a French manicure, Venus," Sailor Mars muttered under her breath, just as sarcastic as she was when she was Katsuna. "So, Mercury, have you found anything yet?"

"My computer is reading major negative vibes coming from the north. I think Queen Jade's castle is straight ahead.'

"Well, what are we waiting for, Santa Claus?" Sailor Moon asked, anxious to start. "Let's get moving. The sooner we defeat Jade, the sooner we can get out of this creepy place and back to Crystal Tokyo."

Sure enough, the Neo-Soldiers soon reached a dismal-looking palace surrounded by decaying trees and a river filled with a pungent, black liquid. Nagisa, who was the new Sailor Neptune, covered her nose with a dainty white handkerchief. "I sure wouldn't want to go swimming in that water. How are we going to enter the castle, Sailor Moon?"

"I guess we're going to have to cross the river. But how?"

Sailor Moon scanned the immediate vicinity, searching for something they could use to float across the moat. "Look, there's something tied to that branch over there," she exclaimed, pointing her finger at a small raft tied to a nearby dead tree. They ran over to the spot, and Sailor Uranus began untying the rope."

"Isn't it a bit strange that we just happened to come across this raft?" Sailor Saturn asked as everyone boarded. "It could be a trap."

"Would you rather swim across? We'll just have to take that chance," Mars replied, just before they heard a deep, echoing voice.

WELCOME, SAILOR SOLDIERS. I HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR CRUISE ACROSS THE RIVER STYX.

"Did the river just speak to us?" Sailor Moon shrieked as the current began speeding up. She pulled Diana closer. "What's happening?!"

Uranus began paddling faster toward the shore but it was no use. The harder he tried, the harder the current pushed the raft away. "The river's processed!" he yelled. "I can't control it."

Another blast of water hit the raft, threatening to tip the Sailor Neo-Soldiers overboard. Venus screamed and grabbed Uranus's leg, holding on for dear life. It was only a matter of time before they dumped into those dark, murky waters.

The new Sailor Pluto, Masago, cautiously stood up. "Don't worry, guys. We're going to be okay. It's too early in our journey for us to die!"

PLUTO ICE AGE!

Using her attack, Pluto was able to freeze the river. The Neo-Soldiers abandoned the raft and quickly glided across the frozen surface.

"That was absolutely amazing, Pluto!" Sailor Neptune complimented her. "Brilliant idea."

Sailor Moon put her finger to her lips, silently telling Neptune to be quiet. She found the entrance to the castle, but it was guarded by a sleeping three-headed dog. "Pluto, do you have any more of those brilliant ideas?" she whispered.

"Sorry, I'm all out."

One of the dog's heads woke up and spotted the Neo-Soldiers. He stood up and began growling at Sailor Moon.

"Nice doggy," she said, holding out one of her shaking hands. She absolutely hated dogs. Diana began hissing at the dog as the monster barked loudly. "What's your name, little puppy?" she asked.

"I'm Cerberus, guardian of the entrance to Hades Palace and your worst nightmare!"

Cerberus broke free of his chains and began running full speed toward Sailor Moon. She screamed as Mercury pulled her out of the warpath. Her heart was pounding wildly and sweat was pouring out of places she didn't even know existed. Nobody told her that this job involved fighting maniac three-headed dogs.

SAILOR GHOSTLY APPEARANCE!

Sailor Saturn's power made the Neo-Soldiers as transparent as ghosts. Cerberus walked right through Mercury, and then ran away with his tail between his legs. Diana gave him one last hiss, thinking what a coward he was.

"Great job, Saturn!" Sailor Moon said, taking a deep breath to calm her racing heart. "I thought I was a goner for sure."

Finding the door locked, they simply walked through the castle's thick walls. Once inside, the Neo-Soldiers returned to their natural state. Mars lit a torch beside the door and handed it to Sailor Pluto.

"It looks like a maze," Sailor Jupiter commented. "We could be stuck in here for days trying to figure out how to get out of here. What should we do?"

Diana looked around at the barren halls, frowning. "Luna and Artemis told me stories about this place. It's called The Labyrinth, and throughout the maze, you come across monsters of increasing difficulty. Queen Jade's lair is located at the center of the castle."

Mercury entered some information into her computer. A few seconds later, a map of the labyrinth appeared on the screen. "We should go left."

"Is there anything that computer can't do, Mercury?" Saturn asked as they began walking. "How did you manage to find a map of this place?"

"It was really quite simple, actually. The map was already in the computer's memory from the time our mothers fought Queen Jade, so I just opened up the file. Luckily, my mother was smart enough not to erase it."

Sailor Mars suddenly stopped in her tracks, causing Venus to bump into her. "Hey, Mars, what's the hold-up?" Venus asked, rubbing her arm. "Is something wrong?"

"I sense an evil presence nearby," she whispered, grabbing Sailor Moon's arm and pulling her back just as a flame of fire singed one of her pigtails. "Everybody, watch your backs.'

As the Neo-Soldiers continued forward, the flames became more frequent. The area was like an oven, the heat practically burning their skin.

Venus tore a piece of cloth from the bow on the back of her skirt and began wiping the sweat from her forehead. "The heat is unbearable. This can't be good for my skin, and just look at my hair," she complained, pulling her bright scarlet hair in a ponytail. Her natural color was blonde like her mother's, but she dyed her hair often. "Mercury, are you sure there isn't another way to get around this?"

WHO DARES TO CROSS MY PATH!

Sailor Moon turned the corner and found herself face-to-face with another hideous monster. This one had the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a dragon. She also breathed fire.

"I'm Sailor Moon, the new champion of justice and leader of the Sailor Neo-Soldiers," she yelled, going through the motions she had often seen her mother do in the past. "On behalf of Crystal Tokyo…"

WE'LL PUNISH YOU!!

The rest of the Neo-Soldiers walked up behind Sailor Moon. "You're toast, dragon breath," Mars said, stepping forward.

"I don't think so, sweetheart," the monster retorted. She sent out another flame, just missing Mars' skirt by a couple of inches. "You are all just blowing a bunch of hot air. No one can beat me, the great Chimera!"

"I wouldn't bet on that," Uranus shouted.

URANUS WHIRLWIND HURRICANE!

The gust of wind extinguished Chimera's next fire attack, and the monster began gagging as if she were choking. "I can't breathe," she wheezed. "My fire's gone out. This is all your fault, you stupid windbag. I'll get you for this!"

"Not if I can help it. I'll fight fire with fire."

MARS ETERNAL FLAME!

"Quick, Sailor Moon, finish her off!" Diana ordered. Chimera groaned in agony as the fire consumed her body.

Sailor Moon grabbed her wand and aimed it at the monster.

CELESTIAL ROSE THORN ATTACK!

Millions of tiny, sharp needles pierced Chimera's skin. She cried out in pain as she turned into a pile of moon dust. The monster was destroyed.

"We did it!"

* * *

Damian banged his fist on a nearby wall as he watched the battle in a crystal ball. Chimera had shown herself to be a failure against those inexperienced Neo-Soldiers. They were more powerful than they looked.

"You may have won this battle, Sailor Neo-Soldiers," he growled, "but I can assure you that next time, you won't be so fortunate. Your beginner's luck is about to run out."

"And just exactly how do you plan to do that, my son?" Queen Jade asked. "Chimera was one of your strongest warriors. Her death is a huge blow to our defense."

"Mother, I highly doubt those sailor brats will be able to defeat our next warrior," he replied. "Argos, I command you come forward."

A hideous, multi-eyed beast appeared before Damian and the queen. "How may I be of service to you, Master?"

"Argos, you have shown great promise," Damian said, resting his hands on his crystal ball. A vision of the Neo-Soldiers walking through the maze emerged from the sphere. "I am entrusting you with an important mission. Get rid of these bothersome little pipsqueaks, once and for all, but make sure to bring Sailor Moon here. We have bigger plans for her."

"Yes, Master."

Argos disappeared as Queen Jade let out a small laugh. "That's your brilliant idea, sending that greenhorn to battle the Sailor Neo-Soldiers? I have to say, Damian, sometimes you bewilder me."

"I know what I'm doing, Mother. Soon, our plan will be complete. Neo-Queen Serenity's kingdom and her precious daughter will be ours."

"You better be right," she threatened. "I will not tolerate another failure. Revenge will be mine. I'll be in my rooms if you need me."

The queen walked out of the room, leaving Damian alone to stare at the vision of Sailor Moon. She was so beautiful and innocent, and soon she would be his queen.

It was the ultimate revenge.


	7. Act 6 The Labyrinth, Part 2

Act Six - The Labyrinth, Part 2

"We've been walking around this wretched place for hours," Venus complained. "Mercury, how much longer is it to Jade's lair?"

"We still have quite a great distance to cover," she answered to the groans of the rest of the Neo-Soldiers. "It could be another nine or ten hours."

"If this keeps up, we aren't going to have any strength, left to fight Queen Jade, much less defeat her," Jupiter pointed out. "I propose we take a break for awhile. My mother packed us a bag filled with tons of goodies to eat."

Sailor Moon felt a small rumble in her stomach. She was absolutely famished. Maybe it would be a good idea to rest a little while. Jupiter was right. They were never going to beat Jade with their stomachs growling.

"Okay, we can take a lunch break, but only for an hour," she decided. Everybody cheered. Apparently, she wasn't the only person who was hungry.

Jupiter placed a blanket on the cold cement floor and began unpacking a huge feast fit for a king (and probably his entire army, too). There were cakes, cookies, pies, donuts, pastries… Sailor Moon eyed a delicious-looking chocolate cake, causing her mouth to water. If she had one weakness, it was anything chocolate. She got it fromher father.

"Bon apetit, everyone," Jupiter said, taking a seat. "Help yourself to whatever you want. Who wants a piece of my mother's famous triple chocolate fudge cake?"

A quick show of hands revealed that everybody wanted a slice. Queen Makoto's chocolate cake was known throughout the Milky Way Galaxy for being the sweetest, most delectable confectionery ever tasted by mortal tongues, and it was a special treat. Jupiter passed everybody a piece, handing the largest piece to Sailor Moon.

"Venus, you better watch your weight," Mars teased as her friend piled her plate high with cookies and blueberry muffins. "If you keep eating like that, you won't be able to squeeze into that scandalous Milo Love bikini you bought last weekend."

"Don't worry about me, Mars. I've probable lost about ten pounds already just walking around this labyrinth. Besides, it's not everyday I get to indulge in a meal prepared by Queen Makoto herself," she said, taking another bite of cake.

"I kind of like my girls with a little meat on their bones," Uranus commented. "There's just more to love."

He licked away a bit of chocolate frosting from the tip of his girlfriend's cute button-nose, and then kissed her passionately on the lips. Jupiter rolled her eyes and pretended to gag.

"Uranus, we are trying to eat here. Go get a hotel room if you two are going to make out the entire time."

"Sure, Jupiter," he replied, getting the hint. He borrowed his sister's handkerchief and wiped the Passion Pink lipstick from his face. "Just hand me your cell phone, and I'll just call the  
local Hilton and make a reservation. Too bad the nearest location is like a million light years away."

"Did you hear that?" Sailor Moon asked suddenly, jumping to her feet. She could have sworn she heard a low moan, but nobody else was around. Nobody else seemed to have heard it, either. "That's strange, it's gone. Must have been my imagination."

She sat back down and grabbed a handful of chocolate-chip cookies. Her mind probably needed more nourishment. A few minutes later, she heard the moan again, this time louder than before.

"I heard it too, Small Lady," Diana said, proving that it wasn't just her imagination. "What should we do?"

Sailor Moon grabbed her wand, prepared to fight. They had no problem wasting Chimera; she was sure that they could deal with any monster Queen Jade could throw at them.

"Who's there?" she demanded, her voice shaking with fear. Maybe she wasn't as confident as she thought. "Reveal yourself to us."

"I am Argos, soldier of the Dark Kingdom," he answered, appearing before the Neo-Soldiers in a puff of smoke. "You may have destroyed Chimera, but I won't be as easy to defeat, Sailor Neo-Soldiers."

JUPITER MIGHTY TEMPEST!

"Pitiful fools."

Argos sent a burst of energy toward Jupiter's thundercloud, blowing it away. "I told you that I am unbeatable. You might as well give up, Sailor Failures."

"Never, hundred eyes!"

VENUS BROKEN HEART!

"It's no use, guys!" Venus shouted as Argos intercepted another attack. "He sees the attacks before we can surprise him. The only way we can beat Argos is to get him to fall asleep long enough to attack him."

"Leave that to me, Venus!"

Neptune positioned her hands as if she was about to play as a violin made of water formed. She began playing a beautiful song.

NEPTUNE OCEANIC MELODY!

"It's working!" Mercury exclaimed. The monster closed each of his eyes and began snoring lightly.

MERCURY RAZOR-SHARP WIT!

The blade flew toward Argos, chopping off his head. Sailor Moon then pointed her scepter at the decapitated monster.

CELESTIAL ROSE THORN ATTACK!

His remains turned to moon dust. "We did it, guys!" Sailor Moon yelled, hugging Saturn.

"But look at the mess we made," Jupiter sighed, pointing to the blanket. It was now covered with food and spilled drinks. "Our lunch is ruined. All that delicious food went to waste!"

"It's just as well, Jupiter," Venus said, patting her tummy. "I am full. I don't think I could eat another bite. Besides, our hour's up. Let's get moving and burn off some calories."

* * *

"Argos, you were as incompetent as your predecessor," Damian said angrily, again watching the battle unfold through his crystal ball.

Queen Jade entered the lair and took a seat on her throne. "What did I tell you, Damian? You never listen to your mother. The Neo-Soldiers obviously know what they are doing despite their inexperience in battle. In order to defeat them, we must send out our strongest warrior."

He glared at his mother, not for the first time wishing he hadn't broken her out of jail. Sometimes she could be so annoying. "That is exactly what I was about to do, Mother," he muttered under his breath. "Minotaur, you know what to do."

"Yes, Master."


	8. Act 7 The Labyrinth, Part 3

Act Seven - The Labyrinth, Part 3

The Neo-Soldiers continued their journey through the labyrinth. Sighing, Sailor Moon looked down at her watch and saw that it was about six o'clock in the evening.

_I wonder what Mother and Father are doing right now,_ she thought, feeling a bit homesick. _I wish I were home right now, I miss everybody so much, especially Helios. Does he even know I'm gone? Does he care?_

"Sailor Moon, are you feeling okay?" a concerned Saturn asked. "You looked like you were about to cry."

"I'm fine," she replied, wiping away a tear that ran down her cheek. This was no time to feel sorry for herself. They had an important mission, and she would not rest until the Silver Crystal was back in Crystal Tokyo where it belonged. She would have enough time to worry about her problems later.

YOU WON'T FEEL SO FINE AFTER I'M THROUGH WITH YOU, SAILOR NEO-SOLDIERS!

A half man, half bull monster rose from the ground, blocking their way. "I am the mighty Minotaur, and it is a displeasure to finally meet the children of the legendary Sailor Soldiers. Take that, you nosy little brats!"

The Minotaur emitted a bright laser from his horns, hitting the Neo-Soldiers full force. Sailor Moon grabbed her wand, but before she could attack, he rammed her up against the wall and began sucking up her energy.

Uranus walked up behind him and gave the monster a painful kick on the backside. "Let go of her, if you know what's best for you!"

Suddenly bored with Sailor Moon, the Minotaur tossed her aside like a piece of trash and focused his attention on Uranus, who had grabbed Jupiter's soiled red blanket and was waving it around like a matador. "Toro, Toro," he taunted, as Saturn and Diana ran over to check on Sailor Moon.

"Stop it, Uranus!" Venus pleaded. "You're going to make him mad. I can't watch this…"

She buried her head on Neptune's shoulder. Why did Goku always have to be a hero? He was going to get himself killed if he wasn't careful.

"It'll be okay, Venus," Neptune assured her. "My brother knows what he's doing… I hope."

Venus reluctantly looked up and found Uranus and the Minotaur engaged in a fierce bullfight. To her surprise, Goku actually looked like he knew what to do. She couldn't help but cheer with the others routing for him.

Hearing her voice above the others, Uranus looked at his princess and waved, giving the Minotaur the opportunity to knock him to the ground. Venus screamed in horror and threw her body over him, unconcerned for her own safety. "Get away for him," she cried as the monster came in for the kill.

JUPITER MIGHTY TEMPEST!

The beast screamed in pain as a bolt of lightning hit him, but it was clear that it would take more than a little thunder to rain on his parade.

"Step out of the way, Venus," Minotaur ordered. "It's Uranus I want, not you."

"I'll never abandon Uranus. I love him with all my heart and soul. If you want to kill him, you'll have to kill me first!"

* * *

Diana and Saturn watched in horror as the scene unfolded before their eyes. This was horrible. Sailor Moon was out cold, and it looked like Venus and Uranus were goners for sure.

"Sailor Moon, you have to wake up," Saturn whispered, gently shaking her cousin. "You're the only one with enough power to save them."

"Please, Small Lady!" Diana pleaded.

Sailor Moon finally opened her eyes and slowly sat up, still weak from the energy drainage. "What's going on, Saturn?" she asked, glancing over Saturn's shoulder at the battle. The Neo-Soldiers were attacking the monster, trying to distract him from Venus and Uranus, but he was obviously Queen Jade's strongest warrior.

"Uranus is in bad shape," Saturn informed her. "Venus threw herself over Uranus to protect him, but if we don't get rid of the Minotaur soon…"

"They'll die," Sailor Moon said softly, completing her thought. She couldn't believe how brave Venus was. She always thought Anzura was kind of shallow and superficial, but she had been wrong. Anzura must really love Goku.

_I won't allow that monster to take away their love as long as I'm still alive!_

* * *

"Let go of me," Venus yelled, struggling to get her leg out of the Minotaur's grasp.

Mars stepped up and prepared to attack. "Release Sailor Venus right now or you're going to become a pile of ashes."

"I don't think so, Mars," the Minotaur said, sending a blast of energy toward her and the rest of the Neo-Soldiers. They fell to the ground, moaning in pain. "Let that be a warning to you, Sailor Venus. Get away from your lover or you'll suffer the same fate as your friends."

She stood up, her usually loving heart filled with pure hatred. "First, you drain Sailor Moon's energy. Then you try to kill Sailor Uranus, and now you've hurt my friends. I won't let you get away with this, Minotaur!"

VENUS BROKEN HEART!

The Minotaur grabbed his chest as if he were having a heart attack. "This is impossible. No one defeats the great Minotaur!"

"You've just witnessed the power of love, something you will never know the joy of, hideous creature of the darkness," Sailor Moon shouted. She had finally regained some of her strength, and now she was ready to give that monster what he deserved. Nobody hurt her friends and got away with it.

CELESTIAL ROSE THORN ATTACK!

* * *

"Uranus, speak to me," Venus pleaded with tears in her eyes. "It's Anzura. Please say something. Anything!"

"Thank you," he whispered as Sailor Moon and Saturn walked over.

Uranus winced in pain, then raised his hand to caress her cheek, revealing a red stain on his shirt. His palm was covered with blood.

"Omigosh, you're hurt!"

"It's nothing, Venus," he assured her. "I'll be fine. I barely feel a thing." He let out another small moan.

"You're lying, Uranus. Let me take a look at it."

Despite his objections, she lifted up his shirt to find a deep flesh wound near his heart. Venus gasped. It looked bad. Really, really bad.

Saturn took out the emergency first aid kit her mother insisted she carry everywhere and told the girls to take his shirt off. "Luckily, I don't think it's as bad as it looks," she said, cleaning the wound with some alcohol. "It doesn't appear to have pierced the heart, so that's good news, but I'm afraid my powers are not yet strong enough to heal such a deep wound. We'll have to do this the old-fashioned way until we get back to Crystal Tokyo. Venus, hand me those bandages."

By that time, the other Neo-Soldiers had recovered from the Minotaur's attacks and were gathering around Sailor Uranus.

"Is he going to be okay?" his sister Sailor Neptune asked, afraid to hear the answer. If Goku died, she would never be the same. Sure, they had their share of fights, but underneath it all, they loved each other deeply.

"I think so, Neptune," Saturn answered, wrapping the bandage around his chest. "Did the Minotaur get you anyplace else? Does anything else hurt?"

"Nothing but my ego," he joked, giving Venus a small smile. "I was saved by my girlfriend. How am I supposed to explain this to the guys? I'll be the laughingstock of the locker room."

"Would you rather have been killed by that mutant?" she asked, giving him a passionate kiss on the lips. For once, nobody was going to tell them to stop.

When they finally parted, Venus suddenly became very serious. "Uranus, I was so worried about you. You shouldn't have gone against the Minotaur by yourself. It was a huge risk. You could have been seriously injured or even killed."

"I know," he whispered, looking straight into her beautiful baby blue eyes. "It was a stupid mistake, and I promise that I will never do anything like that again. I love you, Venus, and I would never do anything to cause you pain."

"I love you, too."


	9. Act 8 Shadows

Act Eight - Shadows

Back in the lair, Damian's temper was rising faster than the speed of light. The Neo-Soldiers had managed to defeat his strongest and most loyal warrior, despite the fact that Minotaur had drained Sailor Moon's energy and almost succeeded in killing Sailor Uranus and Sailor Venus.

"Damian, I am not pleased with this turn of events one single bit," his mother said, tapping the arms of her throne with her long, claw-like fingernails. "As long as those brats are still alive, the princess has enough power to recapture the Silver Crystal. They are going to ruin our glorious plans!"

"I am aware of the problem, Mother," he growled. "We'll send another soldier to destroy them. It should be quite simple to achieve, considering Uranus is injured and the others are still weak from Minotaur's attack."

Queen Jade shook her head, amazed at her son's stupidity. She had sent him to the finest military schools this galaxy had to offer, yet he couldn't complete this one easy task. It was time to take matters into her own hands.

"I have a better idea," she said, a brilliant plan taking form in her head. "Damian, I want you to go to Elysion."

* * *

"Priest Helios-sama, I brought you some tea and bread," Aurora said, lightly knocking on the door to his private prayer room. Helios had been in there ever since he heard the news. Although he attempted to hide his true feelings for Small Lady, she knew he was deeply worried about the princess and the other Neo-Soldiers.

When he didn't answer, she opened the door and found the priest absorbed in his prayers. Not wanting to disturb him, she silently walked over to the altar and placed the tray on the floor beside Helios.

"Thank you, Aurora."

She poured a cup of tea and handed it to him. Not really thirsty, Helios took a sip of the bland liquid, wanting to show Aurora that he appreciated her kindness.

"I'm sorry that I interrupted your prayers, Priest Helios-sama," she apologized, "but I though you might be hungry. You haven't eaten since this morning."

Helios took a couple of bites of the toast, then set it back down and pushed the tray away. "Is there any word from thepalace?" he asked, lighting some incense.

"Small Lady and the others have yet to return to Crystal Tokyo, but the king and queen ask that you keep the Sailor Neo-Soldiers in your prayers." Aurora said, picking up the tray and turning to walk out of the room. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"I'm fine," he replied. "Please do not disturb me again. I would really appreciate a little privacy right now."

"As you wish."

After Aurora left the room, Helios pulled out Chibi-Usa's necklace from his pocket and held it to his breast. The cool metal warmed in his hand._ She has to be alright, she just has to,_ he told himself.

"Please come home soon, my maiden," he whispered.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the palace, Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion sat down for dinner in the dining room. The room was eerily silent without Chibi-Usa's bubbly conversation.

The king picked up his chopsticks and began pushing around the food on his plate. He wasn't really hungry, but forced himself to take a couple of bites.

"Usako, are you okay?" he asked his wife, noticing that she had yet to touch her food (an unusual occurrence). "I thought you liked shrimp."

The queen suddenly looked up as if she just now realized there was somebody else in the room beside herself. She had been acting like this ever since Chibi-Usa and the others had left for Andromeda.

"I'm fine," she answered, popping a piece of shrimp in her mouth. "Why wouldn't I be okay?"

"You don't have to lie to me, Usako," he said, glancing over at Chibi-Usa's empty chair. "I'm worried about her too."

* * *

A figure appeared at the entrance of the shrine, covered in shadows and darkness, as Aurora began lighting the candles in the main chapel. The flickers of light danced across the newcomer's face, giving him a rather sinister appearance.

"May I help you, sir?" she asked, walking over to greet him. "I am Aurora, a Maenad of this holy temple."

"I would like to speak to the priest of the shrine of Elysion and guardian of dreams," the man said.

"I'm sorry, but Priest Helios-sama is not taking visitors at this hour. If you would like, I will inform him that you came and perhaps he will see you tomo--"

Without warning, the stranger pulled Aurora toward him and held a sharp knife to her slender neck. She whimpered in fear. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice trembling. "What do you want?"

"Perhaps I didn't make myself quite clear earlier," he snarled. The blade moved closer toward the frightened maiden, threatening to slit her throat if she didn't comply with his orders. "I wish to see the man who owns Princess Lady Serenity's heart, immediately! Do you we understand each other, sweetheart?"

Aurora slowly nodded her head, trying to hold back her tears. Where was her fellow Maenad, Eos, when she really needed her? Probably still out on a date with her boyfriend, King Magic of Delos.

"I understand completely," she whispered, not daring to shout out for help.

"Good."

The man placed the knife back into his sheath, much to Aurora's relief. Then he roughly pushed her forward. "Let's get going, honey. I don't have all day. And don't even think of pulling a fast one or you'll make a gorgeous sacrifice to this god of yours."

* * *

_Almighty Lord, I ask you to please watch over the Sailor Neo-Soldiers through their journey. May they be triumphant in their mission and bring the Silver Crystal back to Crystal Tokyo. Comfort King Endymion and Neo-Queen Serenity during this trying time, and above all, protect their beloved daughter Princess Lady Serenity. Grant her the power to defeat this evil and keep her beautiful dreams alive in her heart, even when it seems all hope is gone. May she return safely home to the people who love her, her family, her friends, and…to me. Amen._

Helios proceeded to light nine pure white candles, one for each of the Sailor Neo-Soldiers. The flames burnt brightly, filling the room with a soothing warm glow.

_Knock, knock._

"Who is it?" he asked. "I thought I had made it clear that I wished to be alone."

"Forgive me, Priest Helios-sama," Aurora's voice called from outside the room. "There is a man here who would like to speak to you. He insists that it is an emergency."

Who in the world needed to see him at this hour? He glanced down at his watch and saw that it was almost ten o'clock in the evening. It was rare for visitors to come so late.

Helios opened the door and was surprised to find Aurora standing in the doorway, trembling like a leaf. "Get away from here, Helios-sama," she whispered before she collapsed on the ground.

"Aurora!"

He kneeled down beside Aurora and began shaking her gently. A menacing form approached her motionless body, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, dragging his dark shadows with him.

"You really ought to have listened to your little concubine," a deep voice said.

The priest lifted up his head to see who the voice belonged to. The stranger's green eyes jumped out from the darkness, filled with pure evil. A shiver suddenly went up his spine as the temperature quickly dropped to below freezing.

"Who are you?" Helios asked, slowly standing. "What are you doing here, tainting this holy sanctuary with your shadows?"

The mysterious figure stepped out of the darkness into the soft light of a nearby candle, revealing itself to be a young man dressed entirely in black armor.

"So, you must be the good priest I've read so much about in the tabloids. Princess Lady Serenity's little flirtation has been quite a hot topic in the _Galactic Enquirer_ these last couple of months," he commented, ignoring the question.

"Who are you?" Helios repeated.

The soldier pulled out a long ebony sword and placed against Helios' cheek. A thin trial of blood rolled down his face and into his mouth.

"I am Damian, crown prince of the revived Dark Kingdom and commander of the royal guards," he answered. "Now that the introductions are over,Grandpa, this can go one of two ways. Either you surrender peacefully or you can challenge me to a duel and lose, as you no doubt will."

Helios carefully pushed the sword away from his face, never losing his composure. "What do you want from me, Damian? You have the Silver Crystal in your possession. What more could you want?"

Growing impatient, Damian shoved Helios against the wall. "I don't have all day, old man. At this very moment, your little girlfriend and her silly friends are preparing to attack the Dark Kingdom unless I manage to convince the princess to join the dark side. That is where you fit into the story."

"You want to use me for bait? That will never work. Serenity will never agree to join the Dark Kingdom. She possesses the purest heart I have ever seen. One filled with love, truth, and honor; unlike yours, which is overflowing with hate and deception."

"It is precisely those good qualities that will bring the princess to her ruin," he replied, looking quite sure of himself. "Love is the ultimate sin. It leads people on the path to destruction, and they are powerless to turn back. They continue on, believing it will someday end and that they will somehow find happiness at the end of the road, but they always find themselves trapped in the fire of their desires instead."

Helios used a powerful karate kick to knock Damian's sword from his hand, causing him to yelp in pain. With Damian temporarily unable to attack, the priest ran to the the prayer room and grabbed a golden sword from off the wall.

"I normally don't like to solve my problems with violence," he said to himself, feeling the weight of the blade in his hands. "But I have no choice. I won't allow that demon to hurt Serenity."

A frigid breeze blew across the room, extinguishing the light and enveloping him in a cover of darkness.

"So, you have finally decided to battle against me, the greatest swordsman the world has ever known," Damian said, dark devils dancing in his fluorescent eyes. "I hope you said your prayers, Padre, because you are going to need them."


	10. Act 9 Aurora's Sacrifice

Act Nine - Aurora's Sacrifice

As the fight began, Aurora regained consciousness. She was surprised to find that the prayer room was completely dark, illuminated only be the soft white glow of the solitary moon. The figures of two men could faintly be seen as silhouettes against the night sky, engaged in a fierce swordfight.

"Helios…"

She carefully pulled herself up, using the doorknob for support, as she was still weak from Damian's attack. Helios was in grave danger. This guy meant business. She had to protect him, but how?

Glancing around the dimly lit room, a flash of light appearing from the shadows caught Aurora's eye. She walked over to the spot where she had seen the brightness and fell to her hands and knees, searching for the object.

"I know I saw it around here somewhere," she mumbled to herself as she felt around on the floor. "Ouch!"

Aurora licked the blood off her finger and picked up the small blade that had cut her. She recognized it as the same knife Damian had threatened her with earlier that night. It must have fallen out of his sheath.

The knife felt heavy and cold in her tiny hands. She held it up to the light of a nearby candle, causing the sharp blade to shimmer in its glow. It was the perfect weapon…

"Forgive me, Lord," she whispered, hiding the sword behind her back. "Please, forgive me!"

* * *

"Ready to surrender yet, old-timer?" Damian asked, knocking the sword out of Helios' hands. It disappeared into the shadows like a star being sucked into a giant black hole.

Damian was a formidable opponent. Although Helios himself was an able swordsman, he was no match for this dark angel's skill. However, the thought of giving up never crossed his mind, despite the odds against him. He had to protect Serenity from this devil, even if it meant laying down his life for her.

"I will never summit to your power, you angel of darkness."

Suddenly getting a second wind, he kicked Damian directly in the stomach, knocking the breath out of him. The attack must have surprised him, for the fire in his eyes began to burn even more brightly, burning with determination to complete his mission.

He raised his sword above his head and gathered all his power in the black blade. _Who cares what Mother wants? Priest Helios is as good as dead,_ he thought.

"Priest Helios-sama, watch out!"

Damian turned around on his heel to see whose voice had just called out. Helios' face turned a deathly pale shade of white, as if he had just seen a ghost, as Damian's sword fell harmlessly to the floor.

The female figure gasped, realizing she had just made a big mistake in revealing herself. She turned to leave, but Damian stopped her before she could make it to the door.

"Well, if it isn't your loyal slave," he exclaimed. "Did you really think you could stage a surprise attack onme, pretty lady?"

"Let go of her, Damian," Helios demanded. "This fight doesn't concern her."

Aurora struggled with all her might to get out of his grasp, but Damian was incredibly strong. Tears came to her lovely chocolate brown eyes. "Get out of here, Helios-sama," she pleaded. "Forget about me and save yourself!"

"Nobody's going anywhere," Damian said, raising his hand and sending a powerful blast of energy toward the priest. Helios was pushed up against the wall and collapsed on the floor, limp as a rag doll.

"Helios, no!"

The maiden kicked Damian in the groin area, giving her the chance to escape his clutches. He groaned in pain at the unexpected attack as she raised the hidden knife in the air and directed it over his evil heart.

Damian looked up at Aurora and smiled at the sight of her shaking hands. "You don't have the guts to kill me, Aurora," he laughed.

"Do you think this is a joke?" she asked. "Is this all just some sick little game to you, Damian? Because I'm not playing around here. Leave this holy shrine at once or I will be forced to kill you."

"Then, I guess you'll have to kill me, because I'm not leaving this temple until I get what I came for."

She took a deep breath and tightened the grip on the knife, preparing to stab him in the chest. Damian looked strangely calm, almost as if he knew something she didn't.

Aurora closed her eyes and plunged the dagger into the darkness.

* * *

When she opened her eyes a few seconds later, Aurora saw that Damian was still alive. He had grabbed her wrist before the knife reached his body.

"I told you that you wouldn't go through with it," he said, letting out an evil laugh as he twisted her arm. The knife dropped silently to the ground.

"Get your hands off of me," she yelled, trying to break free of his hold. A sharp pain traveled up her arm, causing Aurora to scream out at the top of her lungs.

The sound was loud enough to awaken Helios from his light slumber. He jumped up and snatched a solid gold candlestick from off the altar, intending to use it as a weapon in lieu of his vanished sword.

Quietly, he walked up behind Damian, careful not to arouse his suspicion, and brought the heavy candlestick down on his shoulder. The demon released Aurora and grabbed his injured joint, obviously in tremendous pain.

"Helios-sama, you saved me!" Aurora exclaimed, throwing her arms around the tired priest's neck. "I don't know how to thank you."

"There's no need to thank me, Aurora," he replied. "I should be the one who's grateful. If you hadn't showed up when you did…"

"We have to get you out of here. He won't give up until he gets what he wants."

Aurora grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the door, unaware that Damian had placed an invisible barrier around the prayer room until she tried to leave. They were trapped.

"Nobody's leaving this room until I get what I came for," Damian whispered, gathering back his strength. "This is the moment of truth, Gramps. Either surrender to the great power of the Dark Kingdom or prepare to face your doom."

"I will never surrender!" he answered.

"I had a feeling you would say that, Priest Helios."

Damian again raised his ebony sword above his head. "Might power of the Dark Kingdom, I command you come forth. Give me your strength."

He pointed the sword directly at Helios and released its power in the form of a dark black beam.

"NO!"

* * *

"Aurora, speak to me," Helios pleaded, holding the Maenad's limp, cold hand to his chest. "Please, say something. Anything!"

_My mother will not be happy about this one bit,_ Damian thought. He should have killed that meddling girl when he had the chance. It was an unfortunate setback, but once he regained his power, nobody could stop him.

"I will be back," he growled, before disappearing in a puff of smoke. "Victory will be ours!"

Helios barely noticed his leaving. Instead, his thoughts were with Aurora. Her motionless body felt icy in his arms. Why did this happen to her? Why?!

"Please open your eyes, Aurora," he said softly. "I'm so sorry. I should have just given in to Damian's demands. This shouldn't have happened. Not to you…"

Overcome with emotion, he lightly caressed her cheek with trembling fingers. She had been an incredibly beautiful woman, so full of life and generous to a fault, and her dedication to the shrine rivaled his own. It just wasn't fair.

"Don't blame yourself, Helios-sama."

The voice was so faint, he was sure he had imagined it, but when he looked down and found himself staring into Aurora's brown eyes, he knew it was real. "Aurora?"

With her remaining strength, the maiden reached for his hand and held it up to her rosy lips.

"I can't stay long, Helios," she whispered, as Helios leaned in closer to better hear her words. "I just wanted to tell you what an honor it was to serve you and the shrine. You've always been so kind to me…"

"You should save your strength. I'll go find Eos and send her to fetch the doctor," Helios said, starting to stand up.

"No, don't leave me."

Her breathing had become very labored. She didn't have much time left. Helios placed a pillow under her head to make her last moments more comfortable. Aurora looked so fragile laying there, like a beautiful porcelain doll that could break at the slightest touch.

"Why do you look so sad, Priest Helios-sama?" Aurora asked. "Everything is going to be okay. You'll see."

Helios could hardly bear to look at her, for fear that he would burst into tears at the sight. "No, Aurora, it won't, because you won't be here. Nothing will be the same."

"Look at me," she demanded.

He reluctantly turned his head toward her, revealing the tears that had formed in his eyes.

"I want you to be happy, Helios," she said weakly. "Promise me something…"

"Anything!"

Helios gently took the maiden into his arms and rested her head upon his shoulder.

"Don't let your pride keep you away from true happiness. You love her so very much…"

With those words, Aurora closed her eyes for the final time. Her lifeless body went limp in her arms. Helios placed her head back on the pillow and said a prayer, his heart filled with sorrow.

She appeared peaceful even in death. A serene smile played upon her lips and a corona of golden curls surrounded her face like the halo of an angel.

"Sweet dreams, Aurora."

* * *

Damian stood in the doorway of the prayer room, watching the touching scene between Aurora and Priest Helios with great interest. This was the perfect opportunity to attack. Helios was too overcome with grief to defend himself properly and, with the new powers his mother had granted him, the he couldn't lose.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out an opaque black stone. Damian rubbed its smooth surface with his thumb, feeling the negative energy heating his hand. _You will surrender to the power of the Dark Kingdom, Priest Helios!_

DARK DEMONIC CRYSTAL, I COMMAND YOU TO RELEASE YOUR POWER!


	11. Act 10 Problems at Home

Act Ten - Problems at Home

In Crystal Tokyo, night had covered the city and there was still no word from the Sailor Neo-Soldiers. The queen stared out the window, scanning the garden below for any sign of her daughter.

"Usako, maybe you should get some rest," her husband suggested, wrapping his strong arms around her waist. "It could be days before Small Lady returns. As you remember, that labyrinth can be fairly treacherous."

"I'll be okay," she replied. Neo-Queen Serenity turned around and gave King Endymion a small peck on the cheek. "So, how did your meeting with Rei-chan go?"

"I'm afraid not very well. Apparently, there has been some unrest between the people of Mars. A faction there is threatening to begin a civil war unless the crystal is recovered soon. Rei-chan and I managed to convince the leaders to stall their plans for the immediate future, but I'm not sure how long this cease-fire will last. Rumor has it that Pluto may not be too far behind, especially without the princess here to do damage control. Shingo-kun's doing the best he can, but the Plutonians are reluctant to trust an Earthling, even if he is your brother."

The queen sighed, then placed her head on his shoulder. Despite what she had told Endymion, she was feeling quite tired, but Serenity was determined to be there to welcome her daughter home, whenever that may be.

"I hate this, Mamo-chan. Our kingdom is falling apart before our very eyes and I'm completely powerless to stop it. I just know Queen Jade is behind all this fighting. I just know it…"

"Don't worry about it, meat-ball head," he said, using his special pet name for her. "The guardians and I will not allow anything to happen to the kingdom. And soon Small Lady, Masago, and the rest will come back home with the crystal. Peace will return to Crystal Tokyo. I promise."

She looked up into his deep blue eyes, the same color as the Earth, and saw the pain inside. Endymion had always been her pillar of strength, always so brave and courageous, that it scared her to see him like this. But Serenity knew that this had to be doubly difficult for him.

Almost as if he had read her mind, Endymion turned away from her face, trying to hide the tears welling in his eyes. "I always regretted not telling her the truth," he whispered to no one in particular. "Her mother thought it would be best if she never found out, but every time I see her face, I just want to run to her and take her in my arms…"

"I know, Mamo-chan, I know."

The queen's guardian cat Luna walked quietly in the room, her head hung low. She wished she didn't have to tell the queen the news, but Serenity needed to know. It seemed as if all the news was bad news these days. When would it end?

Luna jumped on the fluffy white bed and cleared her throat to get their attention. Serenity and Endymion turned around, surprised to see her there.

"Luna, what are you doing here?" the queen asked, taking a seat on the bed beside her. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"Your Majesty, I'm afraid we just got some bad news," she replied.

"Is it Small Lady?"

"No," Luna assured her, much to Serenity's relief. "We just received a telegram from Elysion. One of the Maenads of the shrine was killed earlier this evening, and Priest Helios-sama has suddenly disappeared."

"What?" Endymion shouted out in disbelief. "Helios is gone? Are you sure, Luna? What happened?"

"Nobody knows for sure, Your Majesty. The body was discovered just over an hour ago in the priest's private prayer room. There were signs of a struggle. Candles knocked over, slashed pillows, blood on the wall… That sort of thing. The police also found a small black blade on the scene."

"Do they have a suspect?"

Luna looked down at the blanket, not wanting to answer the question, but she knew she had to. "Well, their first thought was that Priest Helios-sama had murdered Aurora-san and had fled the area."

"But Helios would never do anything like that, Luna," Endymion insisted. "He's a priest, for crying out loud!"

"He didn't," Luna continued. "The knife proves that there was a third person in the room. Both Aurora's and an unidentified person's fingerprints were found on the knife, and testing shows that blood on a candlestick did not belong to the priest or to Aurora."

Serenity's heart began to race as she began to suspect who the murderer was. "Who killed Aurora-san?" she asked, although she already knew the answer.

"She was killed be supernatural forces. Her body was filled with a negative energy, most likely from the Dark Kingdom. As to the name of the murderer…"Luna paused for a moment before continuing on. "As to his name, a large letter D was engraved on the knife…"

"It was Prince Damian, wasn't it, Luna?" the king asked, completing her thought.

As the black cat slowly nodded her head, the queen could feel herself getting faint. Her usually rosy complexion had become as pale as a ghost, and her heart was pounding wildly.

"Are you okay, Your Majesty?" Luna asked.

"I'm fine, Luna," she assured her. "I guess all this Dark Kingdom business has just gotten to me, that's all."

Attempting to convince them she was okay, Serenity quickly stood up, only to fall back onto the bed when a spell of dizziness came over her. What was wrong with her? She felt so weak…

"Usako?"

Endymion, realizing something was definitely wrong, ordered Luna to find Hotaru and Ami, despite his wife's claims she was perfectly okay. Then he put her to bed.

"Mamo-chan, I'm not a child," she told him as he pulled the sheets over her. "I don't want to go to bed until I know my daughter is safe. This completely unnecessary."

"You've been acting strangely ever since the Silver Crystal was stolen, Usako," he said. Endymion sat on the edge of the bed and held her sweaty hand. "At first, I just thought it was stress and anxiety, but these symptoms have steadily gotten worse as time passed by. I'm really worried about you. I may be overreacting, but it doesn't hurt to be safe."

"But I hate doctors!" she whined, sounding more like the crybaby she used to be than the regal queen she had become. "I'm not sick. I can't be sick, because I have a kingdom to run! It's not possible. I haven't been ill in over a thousand years."

Luna returned with Ami and Hotaru in the middle of the queen's tantrum. The two doctors looked at each other and rolled their eyes. They were definitely dealing with Usagi, not Neo-Queen Serenity.

Once _Usagi_ calmed down, Ami pulled out her stethoscope and began listening to her heartbeat, as Hotaru took a sample of her blood.

"How long have you had these racing heart palpitations, Your Majesty?" Ami asked.

"I guess for about five or ten minutes," she answered. "It's nothing, Ami-chan. I'm just in shock from learning about the murder and Helios' disappearance. I'll be fine in a few minutes."

"Don't listen to her," Endymion interrupted. "Something's wrong, Ami-chan. She's been really absent-minded today, and just now, she turned so white, it looked like she was about to faint."

"I have to admit, Your Majesty, your heart rate is extremely high," Ami said, placing a thermometer in her mouth. "And I'm not exactly thrilled with the information I just heard. This isn't a normal reaction to receiving shocking news, no matter how disturbing."

After reading her temperature, Ami was more than convinced that the queen was seriously ill. The numbers were through the roof. Endymion placed a cool compress on his wife's forehead at her instruction, then Ami left the room to confer with Hotaru, who had went down to her laboratory to run the blood test.

The lab was an eerie quiet tonight. Usually it was bursting with activity as scientists did research on new medicines and perfected recent technological advances in the medical field, but the only one there was Hotaru, who was busy at one of the workstations, using a powerful microscope to examine the blood sample.

"This is unbelievable," Hotaru said to herself, not noticing as Ami walked up behind her.

"Did you find anything, Hotaru-chan?"

Startled by Ami's sudden appearance, Hotaru jumped but calmed down when she saw who it was. She wore a confused look on her face.

"Ami-san, you are not going to believe this, but every test I ran came out negative," she informed the other doctor. "According to this sample, the queen is perfectly healthy."

"But that's impossible," Ami replied, handing her the queen's chart. "Look at these numbers. Fever, racing heartbeat, dizziness, shortness of breath, sweating… These are serious symptoms. A healthy person does not have a 105° temperature."

"I know it doesn't make sense, but we cannot ignore the facts. How can we treat a disease that her body says doesn't exist? It's almost as if some kind of sorcery in behind this."

"What are you suggesting?"

Hotaru pulled out a long test tube filled with a clear liquid, and using a medicine dropper, slipped a droplet of the queen's blood into the solution. It changed to black.

"Just as I thought," Hotaru said grimly. "Negative energy."


	12. Act 11 Music of the Night

Act Eleven - Music of the Night

Realizing that there was no way they were going to reach Queen Jade's lair that night, the Sailor Neo-Soldiers set up camp, seeking safety in the Shadows. Katsuna managed to find a few pieces of wood along the way and had built a small fire, which Amaya was now using to make her mother's famous vegetable soup. The aroma of steaming vegetables made Chibi-Usa's mouth water with hunger.

"Do you think this is a good idea, Chibi-Usa-chan?" Shizu asked, peeling potatoes for the soup. "I mean, what if the Dark Kingdom stages an attack on us while we're sleeping in our civilian identities?"

"You worry too much, Shizu-chan. Even villains have to sleep sometimes. Besides, we have to reserve our energy if we are to have any hope of defeating Queen Jade and getting back the Silver Crystal."

"I know, but perhaps somebody should act as a lookout. We could all work in shifts, and the lookout can hold off any monsters until the rest of us transform."

Tomoko, who had overheard their conversation, walked over to the fire and dumped a bowl of chopped onions in the cauldron. "Actually, that's not a bad idea, Shizu-chan," she remarked. "It's better to be safe than sorry. I'll volunteer for the first shift."

"And I'll take the next," Masago offered.

After a few minutes of deliberation, the Neo-Soldiers settled on a schedule. They would each work an hour shift, then wake up the next person when it was over. Personally, Chibi-Usa was relieved, because despite what she told Shizu, she had been worried.

"Hey, guys," Amaya exclaimed a few minutes later. "I think the soup's done. How does this taste, Nagisa-chan?"

She poured some of the scalding hot soup into a large bowl and handed it to Nagisa, who daintily blew on the liquid before taking a sip. "Amaya-chan, this is delicious!" Nagisa complimented. "You're turning out to be quite a chef. You must have inherited your mother's cooking genes."

Embarrassed by the flattery, Amaya began blushing brightly. "I'm not that good. My mom is the best cook in the entire galaxy. I still have a lot to learn before I can consider myself truly worthy of your praise."

"Well, I know what I like, and I absolutely love this vegetable soup," Katsuna said. "You must give me the recipe."

The other scouts nodded their agreement, causing Amaya's face to glow even more brightly, if that was possible. It didn't take very long for the pot to empty. Everybody had seconds and thirds, and Goku was actually working on his sixth bowl.

"You're a pig, Goku!" Anzura teased as she poured another bowl. "You can't possibly be hungry still."

"I'm a growing boy, my love," he replied, weakly flexing his muscles. "Feel this. These are the product of eating right and training hard."

She rolled her eyes as she raised the spoon to his lips. Anzura rather liked nursing her man back to health. If made her feel needed, and Goku was obviously enjoying her undivided attention.

"I say we nominate Goku to do the dishes tonight," Anzura suggested, winking at Nagisa. "It's only fair since he ate most of the soup, don't you think, girls?"

"I for one, would love to see my brother up to his elbows in dishwashing liquid."

"Nagisa, Anzura… you are both too cruel."

Tomoko stood up and began collecting everybody's bowls. "Don't worry about the dishes, guys. I'll do them while I'm on duty, so why don't you all go to bed? We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow. I checked the map and if we get an early start, I'm sure we will reach the lair by noon."

There was no argument from the other Neo-Soldiers. It had been an exhausting day and everybody was anxious to get some much need sleep. As everyone bundled up in their sleeping bags, Tomoko  
transformed back into Sailor Mercury and took a seat by the fire.

"Are you going to be alright?" Chibi-Usa, whose sleeping bag was closest to her, asked in a whisper. "If you want, I'll stay up and keep you company."

"Thanks for the offer, Chibi-Usa-chan, but I'll be fine. Now go to bed. You needed your rest."

"Are you sure?"

"Goodnight, Chibi-Usa-chan!"

"Goodnight, Mercury," Chibi-Usa said, closing her eyes.

* * *

Helios awoke a couple of hours later in a dimly let room, illuminated only by a single flickering light bulb dangling from the ceiling that looked like it could burn out at any minute. The air was freezing cold, causing him to shiver like a leaf blowing in the wind.

"Where am I?" he asked himself as he weakly sat up. His head felt so fuzzy.

The memories were slowly coming back to him. Battling with Damian in the prayer room… Aurora blocking him from Damian's attack… Holding her lifeless body in his arms. But everything after that was a blank.

Was he dead? Was he trapped in this frigid inferno for all eternity in punishment for his sins?

The door opened, letting in a flood of light. Helios shielded his eyes from the intense brightness. The dark outline of a man stood in the doorway, laughing loudly.

"Looks like I got what I wanted after all, Priest Helios," the man said.

Helios stood up and squinted into the light, trying to discern the identity of the man. That gravelly voice sounded familiar.

"Damian?" he asked. "Where am I? What have you done to me?"

"Allow me to welcome you to my humble home, the planet Hades," Damian replied, smiling at the irony. "Bet you never expected to end up here, eh, old man?"

Rage filled his heart as he stared into the heartless green eyes of Aurora's murderer. "Have you no remorse for what you've done? That heart of yours must be made of stone!"

"The only thing I regret is that she got in the way before I finished you off," Damian growled, sending a blast of energy toward him. "I'm afraid you have more pressing matters to contend with, Priest Helios."

With those words, the devil left the room, slamming the iron door behind him. Once again, Helios was enveloped in a cover of darkness, alone with his thoughts.

Damian had won after all. Aurora had sacrificed her life for nothing, and it was all his fault. He should have surrendered to Damian at the very beginning. She would still be alive if he hadn't been so stupid.

Frozen half to death, Helios pulled his knees up to his chest, curling into a tight ball in a futile attempt to keep warm. Above his head, the light bulb buzzed lightly before finally giving up its fight for life.

Helios began searching his pockets for his pocket knife, thinking that the light bulb had the right idea. What was the purpose of living? He would rather die than be a pawn for the Dark Kingdom.

The more Helios thought about it, the more appealing the idea of suicide became. There was nothing left to live for. He would eventually die anyway in this arctic prison anyway, so why not end this torture right now?

But instead of the knife, his hand wrapped around a small, oddly shaped object. Helios pulled the item from his pocket and traced it outline on his palm, unable to actually see it without the light from the bulb.

It was a star-shaped locket. Serenity's locket. Aurora's last words echoed in his head as he rubbed the cool metal with his thumb. _I want you to be happy, Helios. Promise me something… Don't let your pride keep you away from true happiness. You love her so very much…_

"But does she still love me?" he wondered aloud.

The locket had not played since that day in Elysion when he first heard its secret melody. Perhaps it was a sign that Serenity no longer loved him. He wouldn't blame her if she never wanted to see his face again. He had been a complete jerk, brushing her off like that, just because he was scared about what people might think about the age difference.

But even if she hated his guts, Helios was still madly in love with her. He had found his reason to live in this ancient locket, and her name was Princess Lady Serenity.

"I will protect her from Damian," he vowed, clutching the necklace to his breast. "No matter what, I won't allow her beautiful dreams to die!"

As he said those words, Helios could feel some kind of heat generating from his hand. He unfurled his fist and saw that the locket had begun to glow brightly. With trembling fingers, he carefully opened the locket.

Music filled the barren cell and chased away the cold. It was the same song he heard in Elysion, yet this time it sounded even more magical. Helios sobbed at the sheer beauty of the melody.

Serenity still loved him.

* * *

Chibi-Usa woke up about ten minutes before her shift began after two hours of an unsettling rest. Sailor Pluto, who was still on duty, was sitting by the fire, staring down at a small golden picture frame she held in her hands and crying softly.

"Is something wrong, Pluto?" Chibi-Usa asked, sitting beside her friend.

Pluto, surprised to see her, quickly wiped away her tears and glanced down at her watch. "Chibi-Usa-chan, why are you awake? According to my watch, your shift doesn't begin for another eight minutes, unless my clock is running slow."

"I highly doubt that your watch, of all people's, would show the wrong time," Chibi-Usa chuckled. "I just can't seem to fall asleep. Every time I close my eyes, I end up thinking about my parents and everybody at home counting on us to bring the crystal back to Crystal Tokyo."

"I know what you mean," Pluto replied. "I miss Kado like crazy. Today would have been our two year anniversary, and I wish I could be there to celebrate."

"Oh, is that why you were so upset?" she asked, picking up the picture Pluto had placed facedown on the floor.

She thought it was a picture of Kado, but when she looked at the photo, it was not his face she saw staring up at her, as she expected. Instead, it was an old snapshot of her, Masago, and Setsuna in front of the Gate of Time.

When she was younger, Chibi-Usa used to love to go to Charon Castle and visit with Masago and her mother. In fact, she came to regard Setsuna as her second mother, and Masago as the sister she had always wanted. Setsuna's death had affected them both very deeply, but especially Masago, who was by all means an orphan.

"I remember when this picture was taken," Chibi-Usa said softly. "It was right before the Black Moon began their attacks. Even now, after all this time, I find it hard to believe she's not here with us."

"Chibi-Usa-chan, I miss her so much, especially now," she admitted. "I just feel so alone sometimes. Kado's great, but there's always been this hole in my heart that I can't seem to fill. You're so lucky to have two parents who love you with all their hearts. I would give anything to have what you have."

"Really?"

Pluto nodded her head as a fresh set of tears streaked down her face. Surprised at her sudden outburst, Chibi-Usa handed her a handkerchief and gave her friend a small hug. She had never seen Pluto so upset before. Masago always tried to hide her emotions. Even at Setsuna's funeral, she never shed a tear, which was okay because Chibi-Usa had cried enough for the both of them.

"I'm sorry about burdening you with my problems, Chibi-Usa-chan," Pluto apologized. "Thanks for being so understanding. You're a true friend."

"Hey, I'm more than just your friend," Chibi-Usa said. "Remember, we're soul sisters, always and forever."

"Always and forever."

By the end of their conversation, it was about time for Chibi-Usa to take over as lookout. She transformed into Sailor Moon as Masago snuggled in her sleeping bag and closed her eyes.

The one good thing about talking with Masago was that it allowed Sailor Moon to forget about her own problems for a while, but her thoughts inevitably turned to Helios. It seemed no matter how hard she tried, Sailor Moon couldn't get him out of her mind and her heart. Every time she closed her eyes, she could see his face, so proud and handsome, as if he was standing right in front of her. Despite what she had told Masago, Helios was the real reason she couldn't sleep.

"Forget about Helios," she ordered herself. "He made it perfectly clear that he had no interest in pursuing a relationship with you that day in Elysion."

_Maiden, I wish things were different, but I'm afraid that is impossible. You're so young and innocent, Serenity. I'm much more experienced than you are when it comes to matters of the heart. You've probably never even been properly kissed by a man, have you?_

His words from that day were permanently engraved in her heart. She never would never forget the pain he caused that day. Yes, she was only sixteen years old, but she had the heart of a mature woman, far beyond her years. For the first time in her short life, she had experienced true love. There was no other way to describe it. She had plenty of crushes over the years, but she had never felt this way about anybody else.

If only Helios could only understand the way she felt about him. There had to be some way to prove to him that this was more than a silly schoolgirl crush.

Hungry for a midnight snack, Sailor Moon placed a large, fluffy marshmallow on the end of a nearby stick and held it over the fire, toasting it to a nice golden brown. Then she pulled out a half-eaten candy bar and a couple of graham crackers to make a s'more.

The rich chocolate melted in her mouth as she stared into the dying flames. Chocolate was definitely the ultimate comfort food. When she finished eating, she stood up to throw away her candy wrapper, but something stopped Sailor Moon from dumping the paper in the trash.

She instead smoothed the wrinkled wrapper and held it to the light. The words FANTASY CHOCOLATES jumped out in bold gold letters. That was the same brand of chocolate Helios had given her when they were in the cave, waiting for the rain to stop.

There was something about that wrapper that made her feel unbelievable sadness. She quickly tossed it into the fire, wanting it completely out of her sight. This was ridiculous, getting teary-eyed over a dumb piece of paper.

As she wiped away the tear that had managed to roll down her cheek, a beautiful sound reached her ears. It was the most gorgeous melody she had ever heard in her life.

Sailor Moon looked around at the other Neo-Soldiers, expecting them to wake up, but strangely, nobody else appeared to have hear the song but her. It was if the music was giving a private concert just for her.

She closed her eyes and let the heavenly music wash over her like ocean waves crashing against the seashore. The melody had cast a spell over her, and she was entranced.

"Where is this music coming from?" Sailor Moon asked herself as she stood up and began walking toward the direction the sound was coming. She knew that she had to find the source of the song that had touched her heart, no matter what.


	13. Act 12 Missing in Action

Act Twelve - Missing in Action

A few minutes after she left, Shizu awoke to find Sailor Moon absent from the camp. Thinking that she might have gotten herself into trouble, Shizu quickly transformed back into Sailor Saturn and began searching for her missing cousin.

It was strangely quiet, the only sound heard being Goku's light snoring. Saturn dug into her backpack and pulled out a flashlight in order to see better in thedarkness, which seemed to have grown even blacker now that it was nighttime. Then she turned in the direction of a faint trail of footprints left on a thin layer of dust that covered the cement floors of the labyrinth.

"Chibi-Usa-chan, where are you?" she asked aloud, following the footprints. "This is no time to be playing games."

Coming toward a two-way intersection, she was surprised to see that the footprints abruptly came to a halt, almost as if their owner had disappeared into dead air. Apparently this part of the labyrinth was well kept because there was no trace of dust on the floor. She called out Chibi-Usa's name, hoping for an answer, but all that greeted her was a deafening silence.

Where could she have gone? Finding it completely useless to continue on the journey alone, Saturn walked back to the camp, extremely worried about her beloved cousin. What if something had happened to her?

"Katsuna-chan, wake up," she pleaded gently shaking her friend. "This is an emergency!"

"What is all the commotion about, Saturn?" a sleepy Katsuna asked as she rubbed her eyes. "Some people are trying to get some sleep around here, you know."

"Chibi-Usa-chan's missing and I can't find her anywhere. We have to wake everyone up and search for her. I think she's in trouble."

Katsuna yawned, then pulled her blanket over her head, determined to go back to bed. "You worry too much, Saturn," she mumbled. "Chibi-Usa-chan's probably just sleep-walking."

"I don't think so. She's been gone for at least half an hour. Besides, I've never know Chibi-Usa-chan to be a sleep-walker."

"Okay, okay. We'll look for her."

Katsuna transformed and helped Saturn wake up the other Neo-Soldiers, who were none too happy to be dragged out of bed in the middle of the night. But when they heard what had happened, everybody agreed that Sailor Moon's disappearance warranted an investigation.

Saturn led them to the spot where Sailor Moon's footprints had vanished. "This is as far as I went," she informed the scouts. "The tracks stopped when I reached this intersection."

"Maybe we should split up," Jupiter suggested. "We'll cover more ground that way."

Mercury shook her head. "Bad idea, Jupiter. It's too dangerous, and there's always the chance of one of the groups getting lost along the way."

"Then what should we do?" Diana asked.

Uranus turned to the left and began sniffing the air. The air carried the aroma of roses and vanilla. "Sailor Moon definitely went this way," he declared. "I'd know the smell of her perfume anywhere."

Feeling a tad jealous that her lover knew the scent of another girl's perfume, Venus rolled her eyes. "If you ask me, I think it's stupid to make a decision like this based on some perfume. For all we know, Queen Jade might like the same scent."

"Stupid or not, it's the only clue we have, Venus," Saturn replied, walking to the head of the group. "Let's get going. There's no time to waste. We have to find Sailor Moon before something terrible happens to her."

The Neo-Soldiers followed Saturn's lead as she ran into the darkness. The air grew colder with every passing step, causing her to shiver in fear. Everything was as still as death. Why would Sailor Moon come this way?

A distant bright light caused Saturn to stop in her tracks. The faint outline of a girl with long pigtails could be seen walking toward the light. It appeared she was under some kind of trance.

"Chibi-Usa-chan!" she shouted. "It's me, Shizu!"

The girl didn't even turn at the sound of her name. Whatever power was controlling her must be incredibly strong. Saturn started to run after the figure, but was pulled back by Sailor Neptune.

"Let go of me, Neptune," she ordered. "We have to save her!"

"You can't just run into things without thinking. It could be a trap. That may not even be Sailor Moon."

"But I know it her!"

Saturn managed to break free of Neptune's grasp and sprinted toward her cousin, despite of the warnings of the other Neo-Soldiers. Diana wasn't far behind. They had to rescue Chibi-Usa, no matter what the dangers were.

But it was too late. Just as she was about to pull Chibi-Usa back, a mysterious golden door appeared before them. Sailor Moon, still under the trance, turned the knob and walked inside, after which the door vanished as quickly as it had materialized.

"Chibi-Usa-chan!"

* * *

_Where am I?_ Sailor Moon asked herself, finally coming to her senses. The last thing she remembered was a golden door. Though something inside her told her to stay away, she decided to enter the mysterious door, forgetting all about the beautiful music she had been trying to find.

Sailor Moon rubbed her arms, trying to warm herself up. It was so cold and dark. She didn't like this place at all.

Observing her surroundings, Sailor Moon saw that she was in a large room, lit only by the dim glow of a crystal ball. All around her were shadows that seemed like they could come to life any minute, causing her to shiver in fear. It was like a scene from her worst nightmare.

"Who's there?" she asked, sensing somebody was watching her.

Out of the shadows, a pair of bright green eyes peered at her, laughing evilly. She recognized those eyes. "It's you!" she gasped.


	14. Act 13 Negativity

Act Thirteen - Negativity

The hours continued on, yet Neo-Queen Serenity seemed to grow weaker by the minute, despite the fact that Ami and Hotaru were prescribing the most powerful and potent medicines to combat her mysterious illness. The queen was resting peacefully as King Endymion sat by the bedside. He had not left the room all night long.

"Your Majesty, perhaps you should try to get some sleep," Ami suggested. "You look exhausted. Ifthere's any change, I promise you'll be the first to know."

"I don't want to leave Usako's side until I know she's going to be alright."

He reached for his wife's hand and brought it to his lips. She was so incredibly beautiful, even in her sleep. How would he survive if anything happened to her? Serenity was the air he breathed. Without her by his side, he would surely die.

"Why aren't the medications working, Ami-chan?" he asked. "I don't understand what's going on around here. The drugs should cure Serenity's illness if all she has is a major case of the flu, right?

Before Ami could answer him, Hotaru entered the room to change the queen's IV. Though there technically was no disease to fight, she was hoping against hope that treating her with mortal medicine would at least keep her alive until they found a cure. So far, the plan didn't seem to be working.

"How are her vital signs, Ami-san?" Hotaru inquired as she changed the IV bag.

"The good news is that we have stabilized her condition for the time being. She's weak, but the queen's a fighter."

"That's a good sign, right?" the king asked. "If she's in stable condition, then the medicines must be starting to work."

The doctor ignored the question, not wanting to give him any false hope. There was a slight chance that the drugs may be working, but she highly doubted the possibility. Most likely, the balance between the queen's positive and negative energy was about equal, causing it to appear as if she was getting better.

"I'm going to go back down to the lab and run a couple more tests," she said, taking another blood sample. "Ami-sab, if there are any sudden changes, I want you to increase the dosage of Positiv and contact me immediately."

She left the room, leaving King Endymion more confused than ever. Hotaru and Ami were not telling him the complete truth. He had never heard of using Positiv to treat influenza, as they claimed they were trying to do. First of all, from the pre-med classes he took in college, he knew that his wife was most definitely not suffering from the flu, unless it was a new form of the disease. He also knew that the drug Positiv, which he had helped Hotaru and Ami to develop, was usually used to heal the Sailor Soldiers and innocents after they had been attacked by negative energy, not to treat mortal diseases. This whole thing was not making sense. Why were they lying to him?

"I know there's something you two are not telling me, Ami-chan," he said. "Why won't anyone tell me what is really going on?"

Ami's eyes stared down at the floor, fearing that if she looked at him, she would break down and tell the king everything. She hated lying to him, but she and Hotaru agreed not to say anything until they knew more about Neo-Queen Serenity's illness.

"Maybe you should talk to Hotaru-chan," she suggested, fluffing one of the queen's pillows. "She could probably explain it better than I can."

Taking Ami's advice, King Endymion left the room and went down to the basement, where Hotaru's labs were located. He found the doctor at one of the workstations, performing another energy screening.

"It's just what I expected," she said aloud, unaware that she was not alone in the laboratory.

Her latest results correlated with her theory about Neo-Queen Serenity's current conditions. The test showed that the energy ratio was 53 positive to 47 negative. As long as the percentage of the positive energy was greater than the negative, the queen would only experience the mild symptoms like the fever and racing heartbeat she had earlier. But once the ratio was reversed, there was no telling what would happen. They only had a small window of opportunity to stop the negative energy from spreading before she took a turn for the worse. But how?

"Hotaru-chan, I want to know the truth," the king ordered as she bent down to record her recent findings. "Usako is my wife and I have the right to know why she is sick. She doesn't have the flu, does she?"

Realizing that it was useless to continue on with the charade, Hotaru slowly shook her head. "No, she does not, Your Majesty. There are no signs of disease anywhere in her body."

"I'm afraid I don't understand what you are saying, Hotaru-chan. I saw her practically faint in my arms, I've held her sweaty hands…"

She held the test-tube containing the energy test up to the light so that he could better see what she was talking about. "I've just performed a simple energy screening on a sample of the queen's blood. As you can see, the blood has separated into two distinct groups. At the bottom of the tube, the liquid is clear, which indicates positive energy. The black liquid above it shows negative energy."

"Negative energy?" he asked. "But how could this had happened? Usako was never attacked at the ball, nor anytime afterwards."

"All humans have some negative energy in their blood. In small doses, the energy is usually harmless, and in some cases, can even protect people from certain diseases, but when the energy starts to spread, there can be devastating consequences. It was an abundance of negative energy that killed that poor Maenad earlier this evening."

"Yes, Luna informed us about the cause of Aurora-san's death, but that doesn't answer my question. What caused Usako's negative energy to spread?"

Hotaru placed the tube back in the rack and began scrubbing her hands with soap. "The truth is, we don't exactly know what the cause is. Ami-san has a theory that since the Silver Crystal is controlled by Neo-Queen Serenity's heart, Queen Jade may be feeding the crystal negative energy, therefore…"

"…releasing the energy into Serenity's heart," he whispered, completing her thought. "If that is true, her only hope is for the Sailor Neo-Soldiers to defeat Jade and cleanse the crystal of the negative energy."

He buried his face in his hands and began to cry softly. Serenity was dying and there was nothing he could do but hope that their daughter brought the Silver Crystal back to Crystal Tokyo before it was too late.

Not sure how to comfort him, Hotaru simply kissed him lightly on the top of his head. "Don't worry, Endymion-sama. Chibi-Usa-chan is much stronger than you think. She'll get through this, I know she will. Peace and happiness once again come to Crystal Tokyo."


	15. Act 14 An Indecent Proposal

Act Fourteen - An Indecent Proposal

Sailor Moon stared into the darkness at those fluorescent green eyes, so full of evil. He was staring straight at her, causing her to shiver in fear. It was almost as if he could see directly into her soul.

The shadows surrounding him suddenly lifted, revealing both Damian and his mother, the notorious Queen Jade, who was sitting on her cast-iron throne.

Sailor Moon stepped backwards, unsure of what to do. She wished the others were here with her.Why did she ever leave the camp? Now she was all alone and nobody could save her.

"Are you Queen Jade?" she asked, her voice quivering.

"The one and only, sweetheart," the witch replied. "And of course, you remember my son, Prince Damian, don't you, Sailor Moon?"

Damian walked over to the spot where Sailor Moon stood and kissed her trembling hand as he had done at the Crystal Ball. The dance was so long ago, yet she vividly remembered their single romantic waltz together. To discover that it was he who stole the crystal that very night turned her blood cold with hate.

"It is indeed a pleasure to meet you again, my dear Princess Lady Serenity."

Appalled by his actions, she quickly yanked her hand away and slapped him across his arrogant face, but instead of making him angry, Damian simply laughed.

"Where's the Silver Crystal, Damian?" Sailor Moon asked, gaining back her courage. "Give the crystal back to me, or you'll regret the day you were born!"

"It's nice to meet a girl with a good sense of humor these days," he sneered. "Face it, Sailor Moon. Without your friends to help you out, you're nothing. The war is over, victory belongs to the Dark Kingdom, and there's nothing you can do about it."

"You're wrong, Damian!"

Sailor Moon pulled out her scepter and pointed it directly toward him. "I will turn you into moon dust. CELESTIAL RO--"

Before she could finish her attack, a giant mass of negative energy came toward her, knocking the wand out of her hands. Sailor Moon could only look on helplessly as it shattered into a million tiny pieces in front of her feet.

"My Rose Petal Scepter has broken?" she said to herself, not really believing what had happened.

She fell to her knees and grabbed a handful of the small fragments of glass, letting fall through her fingers. This was impossible! The Rose Petal Scepter was supposed to be invincible. What was she going to do?

"You're not so brave without your little toy, are you?" Jade laughed. "Honestly, I was expecting more from the daughter of Neo-Queen Serenity. But if you are interested, we may be able to come to an understanding."

"No deal, Jade. I would rather die than give into your demands!"

Jade stood up, a knowing smile playing upon her blood red lips. "I wouldn't be so quick to answer, Sailor Moon. Guards, bring our prisoner to the throne room!"

* * *

Sailor Saturn and Diana felt along the wall, trying to find a switch or a button that would make the golden door reappear. They had to find Sailor Moon before it was too late. Diana sensed her mistress was in grave danger.

"Small Lady, we'll find you somehow. I promise you we will. Just please be okay…"

The others rushed to their side and began to help them find the door, but even with theadditional assistance, they were unable to discover the trigger. Uranus punched the wall in frustration. It was just an ordinary cement wall, nothing special about it at all.

"It's hopeless!" Venus wailed. "There's no way to make the door appear again, and I've already broken two nails."

"Maybe there is a way in, Venus," Saturn said, amazed she didn't think of it sooner.

SATURN GHOSTLY APPEARANCE!

She attempted to pass through the wall in her phantom form, but was pushed back by some kind of energy. "I don't understand. This worked the first time I used it. What's stopping us?"

Using her mother's VR goggles, Mercury quickly analyzed the situation. "There's a negative energy barrier surrounding the wall. We'll have to find another way in."

"Where are we, anyway, Mercury?" Neptune asked. "It's so cold and creepy down here."

She pulled out her computer and brought the map back on the screen. "Here we are," she said, pointing to their location. "We are near the prison cells."

"But why would Sailor Moon want to go to the dungeon? It doesn't make sense."

"I have no idea, Neptune, but it also looks like Queen Jade's lair is on the other side of this wall," Mercury informed them. "If we just continue on the way we planned, I'm sure we'll find the entrance."

Saturn groaned. "It might take hours before we reach the real door, and I don't think we have enough time, especially since it appears Sailor Moon has been captured by Jade. Are you sure there's no other way?"

"I'm afraid not, Saturn," Mercury replied. "We better start walking if we are to have any chance of saving the princess. Let's get going."

Mercury took the lead as the rest of the Neo-Soldiers followed closely behind, anxious to find their friend. Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion would never forgive them if something happened to their daughter. It was their duty to protect Princess Lady Serenity.

As they walked past the prison, Mars suddenly stopped in her tracks, nearly stepping on Diana's tail, and told everybody to get up against the wall.

"What is it, Mars?" Pluto asked in a soft whisper. "Do you sense something?"

"I heard some voices."

She put her finger to her lips, signaling them to be quiet. In the dead silence, two male voices could plainly be heard.

"That Princess Lady Serenity is some looker, heh, Seth?" one of the voices said. "I tell you, Prince Damian sure knows how to pick them."

The second man laughed as he pulled out a jumble of keys. "I have to admit I wouldn't mind waking up next to that every morning instead of that cow I call a wife."

Mars glanced around the corner, curious to what the two men were going to do. The one with the keys unlocked one of the cells as the other went inside to get the prisoner. When he reappeared a few moments later, she couldn't help but gasp as she realized the identity of the third man. Suddenly, Sailor Moon's midnight visit to the dungeons didn't seem so crazy.

"Hey, Cain," the second guard said. "Didja hear something?"

"Must have been your imagination. Come on. We better get this prisoner to Queen Jade before she gets angry."

Cain shoved the prisoner forward as a second golden door appeared. Sailor Mars prepared to attack, but they quickly disappeared into the wall, the door vanishing as it did the first time.

"Mars, what just happened?" Jupiter asked. "Why did you seem so surprised?"

"It's Helios-sama!"

* * *

Sailor Moon's heart pounded against her rib cage as she stared at the wall the two guards had walked through to retrieve the prisoner. Had they captured one of the Sailor Neo-Soldiers? She would never forgive herself if something happened to her friends while she was supposed to have been watching over them.

A few minutes later, the golden door reappeared as Seth and Cain entered the room, flanking each side of the prisoner, whose eyes remained glued to the floor. Sailor Moon gasped and attempted to run to his side, but was held back by another of Queen Jade's guards. Helios still was unaware of her presence.

The guard with the keys roughly pushed Helios forward. "Bow when you are in the presence of the great and powerful Jade, queen of the Dark Kingdom."

"I only bow to the true rulers, Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion of Silver Millennium," Helios declared in his strong and steady voice.

"You will show honor to Queen Jade," the other guard said, sending a burst of energy at his back, which caused Helios to fall to his knees against his will.

Sailor Moon couldn't just stand by and watch Helios being treated this way. Almost with superhuman strength, she managed to free herself from the guard's grasp and ran over to help him. This time, they made no attempt to stop her.

"Helios, are you okay?" she asked, the concern apparent in her voice. He looked up at her large ruby eyes, then immediately glanced back down. "Look at me, please," she said.

He again glanced up at her and weakly smiled, wanting to take Sailor Moon in his arms, but he was unable to because of his handcuffs. "I'm fine, maiden," he assured her as she gently traced the scratch on his cheek with her thumb. He winced in pain. "It's just a scratch."

Sailor Moon helped Helios stand back up, then turned toward Damian and his mother, the anger burning in his eyes. "Let Helios go, Jade! He has nothing to do with this. I'll do anything, just free him."

Jade's thin lips turned up in a smile. Her plan was working perfectly.

"I had a feeling you would come to see things my way, Sailor Moon," Jade replied. "Here's the deal. Marry my son, and I'll let Priest Helios live. Refuse, and you will send your lover to his death!"


	16. Act 15 Setsuna's Visit

Act Fifteen - Setsuna's Visit

Hotaru left the laboratory to give King Endymion a few minutes to himself. He was taking the news pretty hard, and she didn't blame him one bit. His world was falling to pieces. He was already worried about Chibi-Usa's safety, and to learn that not only could he lose his daughter, but his beloved wife as well, must be devastating.

She entered the queen's room and found that Neo-Queen Serenity was still resting peacefully. Makoto had brought up a bowl of soup, which now sat empty on the nightstand. Hotaru smiled at the sight. At least the queen still had her appetite.

"So, how did he take the news?" Ami asked as she fluffed a couple of pillows.

"Not very well. I'm really starting to worry about him, Ami-san. If you could have seen his face when I told him, it would have broken your heart. He actually broke down and cried in front of me. I've never seen King Endymion so vulnerable in all the years I've known him, so much like a little boy."

Hotaru sat down on the bed and pushed the hair off of the queen's face. She still had a slight fever, but it wasn't as bad as it had been earlier that evening.

Awakened by Hotaru's gentle touch, Neo-Queen Serenity moaned and looked up at her, expecting to see her husband beside her.

"Mamo-chan? Where did he go, Hotaru-chan?"

"He went for a short walk," she lied, not wanting to alarm her. "I'm sure he'll be back in a few minutes, but the important thing is how you are feeling. Are you experiencing any pain?"

The queen shook her head "no", not wanting to admit the truth. It felt as if her whole body was on fire, the flames causing her blood to boil, but she was determined that this would be her private pain. Her friends had more important things to worry about. The last thing she wanted was to be a burden to anyone, especially Endymion.

"You two must be tired," she said. "I want the both of you to get some sleep. I'll be just fine. I'm really feeling much better now."

"But, Your Majesty…"

"I'm giving you an order, Ami-chan. If you are not in your bed in ten minutes, I will have no choice but to have you arrested, and don't think I won't."

Ami and Hotaru reluctantly left the room, but not before the queen assured them that she would call for them if something were to happen. When she was finally alone, Serenity reached over to the nightstand beside the bed and picked up a picture of her, Mamoru, and little Chibi-Usa, her precious Small Lady, though not so small anymore. She was now truly a lady, as beautiful and brave as her mother. The queen smiled through her tears.

She knew she was dying. Hotaru and Ami still were insisting that it was just a bad case of the flu, but she knew the truth. It was unlikely that she would live to see her daughter's return, if indeed she was to come back to Crystal Tokyo alive.

"Oh, Serenity," she whispered, holding the heavy silver frame against her chest, "Please come home safely. The time has come for you to become queen of Silver Millennium. I know you'll be a wonderful ruler, my Small Lady…"

As she placed the picture back on the table, Neo-Queen Serenity could feel the fire spreading throughout her body. She moaned loudly. It would not be much longer before she would become a pile of ashes.

She carefully got out of bed, leaning against the headboard for support. She had to find Endymion. She had to tell him goodbye.

Gathering the rest of her strength, the queen took a few tentative steps toward the door, resembling a toddler just learning how to walk. About halfway there, Serenity could feel her strength diminishing. She collapsed, unable to continue on.

"Mamo-chan… Chibi-Usa-chan…"

And the world went black.

* * *

Haruka and Michiru were walking down the hall to their room, anxious to finally get some sleep. It had been a long day for everyone at the palace.

"Are you feeling okay, Michiru?" Haruka asked, wrapping her right arm around Michiru's tiny waist. "You've been awfully quiet today."

"I'm fine," she assured her lover. "I'm just worried about Nagisa and Goku. What if something happens to them in Andromeda?"

"Everything will be fine. They have trained long and hard to become Sailor Neo-Soldiers and the time has come for us to let go and to trust that Goku and Nagisa will make the right decisions."

Michiru rested her head on Haruka's shoulder. "I know you're right, Haruka, but it's hard to let go. I'm their mother, and in my eyes, I still see them as my babies fighting over who gets the last cookie in the cookie jar. I would feel a lot better if we had gone to Queen Jade's lair ourselves, instead of the kids."

"I know…"

As they passed the royal bedroom, a loud groan reached their ears. It was the most horrible sound in the world, the very personification of pain and sorrow. Michiru walked over to the door and knocked lightly.

"Neo-Queen Serenity-sama?" she said loudly. "Is something wrong? King Endymion-sama!"

When there was no answer, she tried to turn the knob but it wouldn't budge. The door was locked. "Serenity-sama! Endymion-sama!"

Haruka came over and gently pushed Michiru aside to try her luck, but the knob would not turn. "Damn, we can't get in! Get out of the way, Michiru. I'm going to have to break the door down. Hiya!"

The door fell easily under Haruka's amazing strength. The two of them rushed inside to find Neo-Queen Serenity laying on the floor, completely motionless. Michiru gasped at the sight as Haruka ran over to check on her.

"Serenity-sama, can you hear me?" she asked, lightly shaking her. "It's me, Haruka. Please say something, Your Majesty!"

"Is she still alive, Haruka?" Michiru asked.

"I think so. I can feel a very weak pulse, but her skin feels like it's on fire. Go get Hotaru-chan and Ami-chan and have the other guardians find the king. He needs to be here."

Michiru quickly bolted out of the room as Haruka gently carried the queen back to the bed. She felt light as a feather in her strong arms.

"Hang in there, Serenity-sama. You have to hold on!"

* * *

King Endymion left the laboratory, intending to go back upstairs to check on Serenity, but instead he turned down a seldom traveled hall. He didn't know why, but something was pulling the king in the direction of the Hall of the Dead, the resting place of important people of Silver Millennium.

He stopped near the end of the hallway in front of a silver door, representing the fact that the person inside had been a Sailor Soldier. The soldier's name was engraved on a small black plaque. Endymion traced the ornate letters with his fingers: Queen Setsuna of Pluto, Sailor Pluto.

Why did he come here? What was this strange force pulling him toward Setsuna's tomb?

Much to his surprise, the door opened by itself, revealing a darkened room. Curious, he walked inside and turned on the lights.

It had been a long time since the last time he had visited this room. It held too many bad memories. Setsuna -- the only other woman he had truly loved.

He went over to the glass coffin that contained Setsuna's body. Death had not lessened her beauty, even after all these years. She was still as beautiful as the moonlit night.

Glancing around the room, one of the pictures on the wall caught his eye. It was taken at the hospital on the day of Masago's birth. Setsuna looked so happy, radiating with the glow of motherhood. He should have been there for her, for the both of them.

"I'm sorry, Setsuna-san…"

"It wasn't your fault, Mamoru-san," a familiar voice replied. "I never regretted a moment."

It couldn't be her. It was impossible, but that husky voice he knew so well… Slowly he turned around and come face to face with the beautiful guardian of time.

"Setsuna-san?" he asked, not believing his eyes. It had to be some cruel joke. She was supposed to be dead. "Is it really you?"

"Yes, it's me."

She walked over to him and gently wiped away the tear that had managed to roll down his cheek. Her touch was cold, yet so comforting.

"Mamoru-san, you must believe that everything will turn out for the best," Setsuna whispered. "Without hope, all will be lost."

"You know?"

Setsuna nodded her head, then wrapped her slender arms around his neck. "I'm so sorry. This shouldn't happen to someone like you. I know you love her very much."

"She's dying, Setsuna-san," he said, his voice quivering as he struggled to keep his composure. "I don't know what to think anymore. It's like my whole world is falling apart, and I'm just standing around like an idiot."

"You could never be an idiot," she replied. "And you are helping, by just being there for her, by loving her. You must remain strong for Serenity's sake, for Small Lady's sake, and for Masako's sake."

King Endymion kissed the top of her head, taking in the sweet smell of her perfume. "You always seem to know exactly what to say. You were always such a good friend, to both me and Usako."

She snorted lightly. "Some friend I was, trying to steal you away from her right before the wedding. If I were her, I would have had me arrested for high treason."

"But Usako knew that we were both under Jade's spell. It wasn't out fault, Setsuna-san," he insisted.

He pulled her closer, not wanting to let her go. "I'm so glad you're here," he said softly. "I've missed you so much, and so has Masago."

Setsuna smiled at the mention of her daughter's name. "Tell me about her, Mamoru. What does she look like?"

"She has grown into a beautiful young woman, so much like you. Sometimes, when I see her face, I could almost swear that she was you, with the same cocoa skin and eyes that would put the rarest rubies to shame."

He pulled out his wallet and showed her a picture of Masago at a school dance. Setsuna could feel a large knot form in the back of her throat as she stared at the photo. "She's absolutely gorgeous."

"That's her boyfriend, Kado-kun," the king said, pointing to the handsome boy she was dancing with. "They've been dating for about two years now and seem to be very much in love. You would have liked him. Kado-kun's a great guy."

"I'm so happy that Masako's found true love," Setsuna said, smiling as she wiped away her tears. "She deserves to find happiness after all that has happened in her life. It was always my greatest wish for her to share her life with the man she loves. To live life alone is a fate worse than death."

The clock chimed on the other side of the room, signaling the midnight hour. Setsuna sighed, knowing her time was up. It was time to return to her eternal sleep.

"I must go, Mamoru-san."

"So soon? But you just arrived. There's so much I want to tell you about…"

She raised her finger to his lips. "Goodbye, Mamoru, and remember that without hope, all will be lost."

With a final kiss on his cheek, Setsuna vanished from his arms.

"Setsuna! Don't go, please don't leave me!"

It was too late. She was gone.

* * *

Minako knocked on the door of Setsuna's tomb, thinking she had heard voices inside, but no one answered. "King Endymion-sama?"

She opened the door and popped her head inside, surprised to see the king standing beside the coffin. He turned around at the sound of his name.

"Minako-chan, what are you doing here?"

"We've been looking everywhere for you," she said, walking inside. "Something has happened."

King Endymion's face turned a ghostly white. "Is she…?"

Minako simply turned around, motioning him to follow her. He complied, his heart heavy with dread.

_Remember, without hope, all will be lost._


	17. Act 16 Wedding Bells

Act Sixteen - Wedding Bells

Sailor Moon was speechless, absolutely speechless. What was she supposed to do? Was she to give up the chance to save her mother's kingdom to spare Helios' life? Or was she to sacrifice the man she loved in order to save the lives of billions? Either way, she was bound to lose.

Sensing her indecision, Damian walked over to her and cupped Sailor Moon's chin in his hand. This time she did not resist. "It's over, my dear princess. Let us stop this war between us, and perhaps I will spare the life of your mother as well."

"What are you talking about, Damian?"

Damian pointed to the crystal ball that stood in the center of the room. "Go and see for yourself, Sailor Moon."

Sailor Moon slowly approached the glowing sphere as an image appeared inside. She gasped. It was her parents' bedroom. She could see Neo-Queen Serenity laying on the white bed, her eyes closed to the world. Her father, King Endymion, was sitting beside the queen, holding her limp hand up to his cheek as tears rolled down his face, and Luna was snuggled up close to her beloved mistress. The guardians and their husbands were also there, crowding around the bed with their heads bowed as Rei led the group in prayer.

"Mother…"

The tears flowed freely down her face. It couldn't be real, but deep in her heart she knew it was. There was no hope left, everything was lost.

There was only one choice to make. Sailor Moon wiped away her tears and took a deep breath. "You win," she said softly. "I give up. Silver Millennium and my heart are yours."

"Maiden, no!"

Sailor Moon looked over to her right, where Helios had remained standing silently until that moment. Again he repeated his plea. "You must not surrender to them, Serenity. Don't marry Prince Damian. Don't allow him to destroy your beautiful dreams!"

His words fell on deaf ears. She had already made her decision. It was her fault that he was here in the first place, and she would not let Helios pay the price for her mistake.

With tears in her eyes, she walked over to the handsome priest and kissed him softly on the cheek. "I'm sorry, Helios, but I love you too much to let you throw your life away."

"Serenity…"

As Helios watched Sailor Moon take her spot next to Damian, he couldn't help but feel a pang in his heart. She loved him, yet she had decided to marry another man in order to save his life. He almost wished Damian had killed him. What was the use of living if the one he loved belonged to another?

Seth, the guard with the keys, came up behind Helios and unlocked the handcuffs. Then he and his friend pushed the priest toward another golden door, leaving the room.

"Where are they taking him?" Sailor Moon demanded. "You said you would let him go!"

"We will," Damian promised, laughing evilly. "But someone has to perform the ceremony, so why not the great priest of Elysion?"

* * *

"I don't have a good feeling about this," Sailor Saturn said. "Something bad is happening to her. I can feel it!"

"Stop saying stuff like that, Saturn," Jupiter exclaimed. "I know you're worried about Sailor Moon, we all are, but you have to stop putting these ideas into our heads. I'm sure she can take care of herself until we arrive."

"Sorry."

Saturn peeked over Sailor Mercury's shoulder to get a better look at the map. They were getting closer to the entrance to Jade's lair, but it seemed as if it was taking forever to reach it. She prayed that they would make it there before it was too late.

"It won't be much longer now," Mercury assured them as they turned another corner. "The door should be at the end of this hall."

"Finally!"

Saturn ran ahead of the other, anxious to save her cousin. Even in the darkness, she could see a faint outline of a door right where Mercury said it would be. They had finally made it!

"Hey, Saturn!" Neptune shouted as she dashed to the door. "Wait for us!"

She barely heard a word Neptune said. The important thing was that they had found the door and not a second to soon. A breathless Saturn tried to turn the knob, but it was obvious it was locked. After all they went through, it looked like they wouldn't be able to get inside.

Uranus, the runner of the group, reached the door next and tried his luck, as the rest of the Neo-Soldiers and Diana finally caught up with them. Despite his strength, the door wouldn't budge. It was sealed shut. Mercury quickly scanned the area and saw that it was surrounded by another invisible barrier.

"What are we going to do?" Pluto asked, leaning against the wall. "We know Saturn's attack won't work against the barriers."

Mercury typed a few calculations into her computer, a plan forming in her head. It appeared that only the wall was protected by the barrier. The door was vulnerable, so if they could somehow break it down, they would be able to enter the lair.

"Uranus and Jupiter, do you think you have enough strength to knock the door down?" she asked the two physically strongest scouts.

"We can try," Uranus said.

"Don't exert yourself too much," Venus said, still worried about his wounds. "You still haven't regained all your strength."

"I'll be fine."

Jupiter and Uranus backed up and prepared to kick the door.

"Ready, Jupiter?" Uranus asked.

"Ready," she answered. "We go on three, okay?"

ONE, TWO, THREE!

* * *

Chibi-Usa could hardly bear to look at Helios as he ascended the raised altar in the center of the room, dressed in the traditional garments of a Dark Kingdom priest. Her heart was breaking. It was him she wanted to marry, not Damian, yet to save the life of the one she loved, she would have to give her body and soul to another man.

A tear ran down her face, concealed from her groom's eye by a couple of layers of black netting shielding her face. As an organ began to play a dissonant version of the _Wedding March,_ Damian took her arm, and they began the long walk down the aisle, with Queen Jade and a handful of soldiers the only witnesses.

She could feel Helios' eyes focused on her as they moved closer to the altar, but hers remained downcast. Chibi-Usa was afraid that if she looked up, she would lose her courage to go through this marriage.

The music ended as the bride and groom reached the altar. This was it. It was her wedding day, which was supposed to be the happiest day of her life, yet she couldn't help feeling as if she were attending her own funeral. Damian reached over and pulled the black veil off her face.

Unintentionally, Chibi-Usa looked up and found herself staring into the priest's beautiful golden eyes, which were filled with sadness. Never had she seen such misery. Damian grunted, signaling Helios to begin the ceremony. Almost mechanically, he opened the book in front of him and began reading a passage in a dull monotone.

"Let's say we just get to the vows, old man," Damian ordered after a couple of minutes. "We don't have all day here."

Helios turned to the vows and told Chibi-Usa and Damian to join hands, which she reluctantly did. Damian's hand was as cold as death. She might as well marry a corpse.

"Do you, Prince Damian, agree to take Princess Lady Serenity as your wife and slave for the rest of your life?"

"I do."

"And do you, Princess Lady Serenity, agree to take Prince Damian as your husband and master for the rest of your life?"

After a short pause, Chibi-Usa nodded her head, not trusting her voice to answer for her. The pain was evident in Helios' face as she agreed to become Damian's wife. Why was Damian putting him through this misery? Wasn't her soul enough?

"If there be anyone present who believes these two people should not be married, speak now or forever hold your tongue."

"WE OBJECT!"

Chibi-Usa turned around, her heart jumping for joy. She knew those voices. Her friends had come to help her. Sailor Saturn, now the temporary spokesperson of the group, stepped forward.

"We are the Sailor Neo-Soldiers, sworn protectors of Princess Lady Serenity and Crystal Tokyo, and, in the name of love, we demand this wedding be stopped!"


	18. Act 17 Innocence Lost

Act Seventeen - Innocence Lost

"Saturn!"

Damian grabbed her wrist as Chibi-Usa attempted to run over to the other Neo-Soldiers. "I don't believe you were invited to this wedding, Sailor Saturn!" he growled.

"Let Chibi-Usa and Helios go, Damian," Sailor Pluto demanded. "You don't love her, so why force her to marry you? It is not her destiny!"

"I'm afraid it's too late, Pluto!" Damian declared, raising Chibi-Usa's hand to reveal the golden band he had cleverly placed on her finger while nobody was looking. "Princess Lady Serenity is finally ours, as well as the Silver Crystal. There's nothing you can do to save her."

Chibi-Usa was practically in tears as she stared at the ring on her finger, the symbol of her commitment to Damian and the Dark Kingdom. The band felt like a link in a chain, forever bounding her to the Angel of Death. Why did she ever agree to go through with this?

The look on Helios' face when he realized that Chibi-Usa was legally Damian's wife was one of infinite pain and sadness. Damian had finally won, and it he who had performed the ceremony. It did not matter that he had not finished. According to the law of the Dark Kingdom, once a couple  
exchanged vows and the ring was placed on the bride's finger, they were married until death do they part.

"Guards, I command you to attack!" Jade yelled, pointing at the Sailor Neo-Soldiers.

A group of about ten to fifteen guards, who had until that time remained standing at attention, advanced toward the Neo-Soldiers as Damian scooped up his bride in his arms and headed to the door leading to his bedroom, intending to take her to his bed. Chibi-Usa screamed as she realized what he was planning to do.

Helios, his heart filled with hate, ripped off his heavy vestments and ran after Damian. He would not allow that monster to take her innocence.

"Let go of her," he shouted, taking Damian in a headlock. Chibi-Usa managed to get away, her heart pounding in her chest as she watched helplessly. She wished there was something she could do, but without her scepter, she was completely powerless.

Damian broke free and reached for his knife. The priest was a dead man, now that he had served his purpose. It would be a great pleasure to kill his rival, especially in front of his blushing bride.

"I gave you the chance for freedom, Priest Helios, but now we will finish what we began in Elysion."

He pushed Helios down and pinned him to the floor, holding the knife threateningly above his heart. Damian was too strong for him. No matter how hard Helios tried, he could not push his enemy away, so he simply closed his eyes and waited for the blade to pierce his skin, hoping Chibi-Usa realized how much he loved her.

* * *

JUPITER MIGHTY TEMPEST!

The rest of the Neo-Soldiers were having their own problems fighting the guards. Queen Jade looked on, laughing at Jupiter's pathetic attempt at an attack. The Sailor Neo-Soldiers were actually quite amusing to her, now that she was sure of victory.

"Where did Chibi-Usa-chan and Damian go?" Mars asked breathlessly as she kicked her assailant in the groin area. He fell to the ground, groaning in pain. Those high heels were lethal.

"I don't see them anywhere," Neptune replied. "Priest Helios-sama is gone, too!"

They heard a scream coming from the direction of Damian's bedroom. Sailor Uranus turned around just in time to see Helios thrown to the floor, struggling with Damian as a distraught Chibi-Usa looked on.

"Chibi-Usa-chan! Helios-sama!" he shouted, punching one of the guards in the stomach. "We have to help them!"

Uranus attempted to go after Damian, who was preparing to stab the priest, but was stopped by another of Queen Jade's soldiers. It seemed that no matter how hard they tried, the guards would just get back up and keep on fighting. Diana tried to help Uranus break free by biting the warrior's arm, but was roughly kicked aside.

"This is pointless. There has to be some way to get rid of these guys, but how?" Pluto asked aloud, stepping away from her attacker just as he attempted to choke her. They certainly were persistent. If only they could somehow get the guards to stop moving long enough to attack them… That was it!

PLUTO ICE AGE!

"Way to go, Pluto," Mars congratulated her. "Venus and I will take over from here."

MARS ETERNAL FLAME!

VENUS BROKEN HEART!

Their attacks easily managed to destroy Queen Jade's most powerful warriors. "Impossible!" the queen yelled, outraged at her defeat.

"Come on, Neo-Soldiers," Saturn said. "We got to help Chibi-Usa-chan and Priest Helios-sama!"

* * *

"Say your prayers, old man. Too bad you couldn't just mind your own business! Die!"

Helios relaxed his muscles, surrendering to his fate. _My beautiful maiden, you will never know how much you mean to me, but you were always in my heart. Sweet dreams, Serenity…_

"Helios, no!"

He opened his eyes at the sound of Chibi-Usa's voice. She pushed Damian's body off of him and helped Helios sit up.

"Maiden?" he asked, confused about what had happened. He was supposed to be dead, but here he was, still alive. Damian's body lay motionless on the ground beside him, surrounded by tiny pieces of glass, which he recognized as being the same color of a vase that had stood on the nightstand. Chibi-Usa must have knocked Damian out with the vase.

"I'm so happy you're alright, Helios," she whispered, resting his head on his shoulder. "Thank you for rescuing me."

The other Neo-Soldiers ran over to them, happy that everything had turned okay, especially her cousin and Diana. Chibi-Usa gently took the injured gray cat in her arms. "Diana, what happened to you?"

"I'm okay, Small Lady. It's just a couple of scratches, nothing life-threatening."

"I was so worried about you, Chibi-Usa-chan," Saturn said, wiping away her tears as they hugged. "We all were. But now that we've found you, it's time to get back the Silver Crystal. If we stick together, I know we can win!"

"I wouldn't be so certain about that, Sailor Saturn…"

They all turned around and saw Damian struggling to get up. He was still weak but determined. "Serenity and the Silver Crystal belong to us. You will never win!"

He pulled a smooth black stone out of his pocket and threw it toward the Neo-Soldiers.

DARK DEMONIC CRYSTAL, I COMMAND YOU TO RELEASE YOUR POWER!

The entire room filled with negative energy, weakening the Neo-Soldiers' powers. Helios felt a flash of déjà vu as he fell to the ground. This was the same energy that Damian used in Elysion to kidnap him and to kill Aurora.

"What's happening to us?" Jupiter asked. "My skin feels like it is on fire!"

"It's negative energy," Mercury answered, crawling over to the spot where Helios was trying to shield Chibi-Usa and Diana from the attack. "We've got to use our transforming powers to shield the princess and Priest Helios. It's our only hope!"

MERCURY POWER!

The others pulled out their transformation pens and held them high in the air.

VENUS POWER!  
SATURN POWER!  
MARS POWER!  
NEPTUNE POWer!  
URANUS POWER!  
JUPITER POWER!  
PLUTO POWER!

Helios' and Chibi-Usa's bodies were then covered with a bright white light, which absorbed the black light of the negative energy. Damian was in complete shock. How could these Sailor Brats manage to block his attack?

SAILOR PLANET ATTACK!

With one last scream, Damian's body crumbled into a pile of dust. The Dark Demonic Crystal fell to the ground, shattering into a million pieces.


	19. Act 18 Power of a Dream

Act Eighteen - Power of a Dream

When Chibi-Usa regained consciousness a few minutes later, the first thing she saw was Helios' loving golden eyes looking down at her with concern. He was holding her hand, now bare of her wedding band. Damian was dead, and she was finally free.

"Are you okay, maiden?"

"I think so," she replied, sitting up. Diana, whose wounds had been healed by the shield, jumped from Chibi-Usa's arms and went to investigate. "I still feel weak, but I'll be fine."

She looked around the room at the other Neo-Soldiers, who had collapsed on the ground after depleting all their power making the shield. Their transformations had disappeared, changing them back into their civilian identities.

"Shizu-chan?"

Chibi-Usa went over to her cousin's lifeless body, tears clouding her eyes. This couldn't be happening, not to her friends. However, the look in Diana's eyes confirmed her worst fears. Shizu was dead. They all were.

"Shizu-chan!" she exclaimed, roughly shaking her body. "You can't leave me. You promised we would fight Queen Jade together. I can't do anything without you guys. Don't go! Don't go!"

The priest walked up behind her and rested his gentle hands on her trembling shoulders. "I'm sorry, Serenity."

"No…Shizu…Masago…Tomoko…Katsuna…Goku…Nagisa…Anzura…Amaya… They can't be gone!"

Her friends had given their lives to protect her, leaving her to face their most powerful enemy alone. But without their help, there was no hope of ever defeating Queen Jade. She didn't have enough power. What was she going to do?

"Well, well, well…It looks like Silver Millennium's princess is all alone, completely powerless to stop me."

The queen of the Dark Kingdom stepped forward, holding a round black stone in the palm of her hand, which began to glow brightly. "Say goodbye to the world you used to know and say hello to the birth of the Black Millennium! This is for you, Damian!"

As Chibi-Usa, Helios and Diana watched in horror, a dark cloud formed above their heads, growing larger and larger as Jade fed it more power from the stone. The ground began to shake violently, and the ceiling cracked under the strain of the cloud's massive size.

Helios grabbed Chibi-Usa's arm and yanked her away just as a giant boulder fell right where she had been standing. He pulled her close, feeling her heart pound against his chest.

"It's too late," she whispered. "All hope is gone and everything is lost."

"You can't believe that, Small Lady," Diana said.

"The Sailor Neo-Soldiers are dead, and I'm all alone. I can't do anything by myself!"

The priest lifted up her chin and stared into her sad red eyes. "You are not alone, my maiden," he said softly. "I'm here with you, and I always will be. I know I am only a priest with limited powers, but what powers I do have, I'll give to you."

Her transformation compact opened, revealing the pale pink stone inside. Helios touched the crystal, causing it to shine brightly. She could feel his power spreading throughout her body, the power of dreams.

"Remember your beautiful dream, Serenity!"

_My beautiful dream?_

She closed her eyes and looked deep inside her heart. The light of her dreams was brightening, growing stronger with Helios' power.

"You must fight, Serenity! Fight for the memories of your friends, fight for the lives of your family, fight for the chance to protect everybody."

Whose voice was that inside her head, encouraging her to continue? It was unfamiliar, but at the same time, it was comforting. She instinctly knew she could trust the voice.

"But what can I do?" Chibi-Usa asked the voice. "I don't have enough power to defeat Jade by myself."

"You are much stronger than you believe, Serenity," the voice replied. "Look deep inside your heart and draw from the strength of your friends' memory. They will always be with you in spirit…"

The voice faded away, but Chibi-Usa now understood what she must do. She took her crystal in her hands and raised it above her head as Helios' dream power grew. Her somber black wedding dress lost its dark hue, transforming into a beautiful multi-colored gown, as colorful as a rainbow after a storm.

"What's this?" Jade exclaimed, noticing the change in Chibi-Usa's appearance. "You still want to fight me even though you have no chance of winning?"

"You're wrong, Jade!" Chibi-Usa shouted as Helios came up behind her to lend the princess his strength. _Please, everybody, give me the power of your planets._

Chibi-Usa closed her eyes, focusing on all the wonderful memories she had of the other Neo-Soldiers, her friends.

She remembered the first time she attended a real tea ceremony with Katsuna. They had both been around four years old at the time. Accidentally, Chibi-Usa had broken one of Rei's favorite tea bowls during the ceremony. She thought Katsuna would go and tattle on her, as she usually did, but instead, Katsuna took the blame for her, saying that she dropped the bowl. It was the first time she realized that Katsuna was actually her friend and not her tormenter.

RED MARS CRYSTAL POWER!

She remembered learning about the facts of life from her mother. Utterly embarrassed about talking about sex with her daughter, Neo-Queen Serenity didn't really tell her that much, so the next day after school, Chibi-Usa went to find Anzura, the resident expert on love, to answer her questions. That night, the two girls revealed their deepest secrets to each other, including Chibi-Usa's ever growing crush on the handsome priest of Elysion. Out of all the Neo-Soldiers, Chibi-Usa always believed Anzura understood her feelings about Helios best. Even when everyone was telling her that it would never happen, Anzura was always the one who believed it would.

ORANGE VENUS CRYSTAL POWER!

She remembered the one time she actually beat Goku at the Indy 500 arcade game. Chibi-Usa had been really depressed about failing yet another math test, so Goku suggested that they race to take her mind off the grade. Even though she always knew Goku had purposely let her win the game, she had been ecstatic.

YELLOW URANUS CRYSTAL POWER!

She remembered the time she almost drowned, swimming in the Sea of Japan. The whole group had decided to take a beach holiday after the stress of final exams. While Chibi-Usa and Nagisa were surfing -- well, actually, Nagisa was the one who was surfing and Chibi-Usa was just holding onto her board for dear life -- she was pulled in by an undertow. Nagisa swam after her and pulled Chibi-Usa back to shore, saving her life.

GREEN NEPTUNE CRYSTAL POWER!

She remembered studying for the high school entrance exams with Tomoko. Even though Tomoko had her own studying to do, she willingly agreed to tutor Chibi-Usa so that she would pass the Academy's notoriously difficult entrance exam. The day before the test, they practically stayed up the entire night, cramming algebra and biology into her head. She ended up passing with flying colors.

BLUE MERCURY CRYSTAL POWER!

She remembered her thirteenth birthday. Amaya took it upon herself to throw Chibi-Usa the biggest surprise party in the history of surprise parties. She transformed the ballroom into a beautiful summer garden and invited all of Chibi-Usa's closest friends. The party had been a huge success, but the highlight was the thirteen layer dark chocolate birthday cake. Chibi-Usa never ate so much in her entire life.

INDIGO JUPITER CRYSTAL POWER!

She remembered the Halloween when she and Shizu were about ten years old. Instead of going trick-or-treating with the rest of the scouts, Shizu decided it would be fun to spend the night in the old Specter house, which was said to be haunted by the ghost of two young lovers killed by the woman's jealous ex-boyfriend. Even though they never did see any ghosts, they had the best time scaring each other half to death telling scary stories around the fireplace.

VIOLET SATURN CRYSTAL POWER!

And she remembered attending Setsuna's funeral. It was the first funeral she had ever been to, and most definitely the saddest. Setsuna had been like her second mother to her, and Chibi-Usa was feeling guilty. It was because of Black Lady (Chibi-Usa's adult evil form) that Setsuna had broken the biggest taboo, stopping time, causing her death. Though Masago must have been stricken with grief, she comforted Chibi-Usa instead and assured her that she was not to blame for Setsuna's death.

BLACK PLUTO CRYSTAL POWER!

The crystals lifted from their owners' bodies and combined with Chibi-Usa's Pink Moon Crystal, forming one single stone. Once again, her friends were there to help her through this, just as they always had. She could feel the power of the planets growing inside her.

"It can't be!" Diana exclaimed, rubbing here eyes. "Is that the Rainbow Friendship Crystal?"

Chibi-Usa concentrated all her energy on the crystal, which began to shine brightly. The legendary Rainbow Friendship Crystal had been resurrected from the love of her friends. Now that she had the power, she would not allow Queen Jade to win. She wouldn't allow any of their dreams to die!

"This can't be!" Jade exclaimed as a burst of energy came toward her. "The Dark Kingdom is invincible!"

Chibi-Usa could feel Helios' grip tighten, reassuring her that she was not alone. She looked behind him and gave him a small smile.

"Remember your dream," he whispered.

She nodded, then turned back toward Jade. It was time to fight, but she was no longer alone. Helios and her friends were there with her, giving her the strength to go on. With their power, she knew she would win. She would protect the ones she loved.

RAINBOW FRIENDSHIP POWER!

* * *

Crystal Tokyo was saved! Queen Jade was finally gone, a pile of moon dust her only remains, and the black crystal was purified of its negative energy, revealing the true beauty inside. As Chibi-Usa, Helios, and Diana watched, the stone disappeared, returning to its rightful owner, Neo-Queen Serenity.

"Maiden, are you alright?" Helios asked as Chibi-Usa collapsed in his arms, drained of practically all her energy. He gently laid her on the ground as Diana looked on with concern in her eyes.

"We did it, Helios," she replied weakly. "Thank you…"

He signaled her to be quiet. She needed to save her strength until they could return to Crystal Tokyo. It had taken an enormous amount of energy to control the power of the Rainbow Friendship Crystal.

But Chibi-Usa refused to obey his orders. She held out her palm, revealing the crystal. It had dimmed somewhat, but it still contained some power. Just enough power to truly make her dream come true.

"Promise me, Helios, that you won't forget me…" she whispered.

"Maiden, what are you saying?"

Chibi-Usa reached up and caressed his injured cheek. She wanted to remember him just like this. "Goodbye, Diana… Helios…"

Tears watered in her guardian cat's eyes as Diana realized what her mistress was about to do. "Don't do it, Small Lady. Please!"

Before they could change her mind, she raised up her hand, releasing the crystal's remaining power. _Please give my friends their lives back,_ she prayed.

"Serenity!"

The crystal separated back into the power stones and returned to the bodies of their rightful owners. With their powers restored, her friends were transformed back into the Sailor Neo-Soldiers. They were resurrected by the power of Chibi-Usa's dream.

"Serenity, my love…"

Helios held her lifeless body in his arms. Her crystal had shattered, killing her instantly. Now she was gone, and she would never know how much he truly loved her.

The Sailor Neo-Soldiers gathered around, their faces covered with tears, even Uranus, who prided himself on never crying. Nobody said a word until Sailor Pluto kneeled beside Chibi-Usa's body.

"This wasn't supposed to happen," she said quietly. "The course of the future has been changed."

"No, it hasn't, Princess Masago."

She turned around, wondering who had said those words. Standing behind the Neo-Soldiers was a beautiful woman dressed in a colorful dress similar to the one Chibi-Usa was wearing. Her long green hair was styled into two meatballs, and the sign of the moon was visible on her forehead.

"Please do not cry for Princess Lady Serenity," the woman said as she walked over to Chibi-Usa's body.

"Who are you?" Neptune asked.

"I am Iris, the guardian of the Rainbow Friendship Crystal."

The Neo-Soldiers gasped. It was Chibi-Usa's great-grandmother, the former queen of Silver Millennium who had defeated Queen Jewel with the power of the Rainbow Friendship Crystal.

Iris smiled at their obvious surprise. "You all were wonderful today," she told them. "It was very brave, giving up your lives to protect Priest Helios and Serenity. My great-granddaughter was blessed to find such caring friends."

"Chibi-Usa-chan was very special to all of us," Sailor Saturn said, wiping away a tear. "I can't believe she's gone."

Iris opened her fist, revealing yet another crystal, brighter than even the Silver Crystal. The Neo-Soldiers, Diana, and Helios stared in awe of its incredible beauty.

"Helios, guardian of dreams, it was your power that gave Serenity the strength to believe in her dreams," Iris said. "With your help, she was finally able to realize her deepest wish, to protect those she loved. In gratitude, I will now fulfill your greatest dream."

Helios looked at Iris, unsure of what she was saying. "I don't understand," he said.

"This called the Dream Crystal, born out of the love that you and Serenity had for each other," she explained. "It is several times more powerful than even the Silver Crystal."

She handed the stone to Helios and told him to place the stone into Chibi-Usa's transformation brooch. The power flowed throughout her body, bringing it back to life. Chibi-Usa slowly opened her eyes and looked around at her friends, confused about what had just happened.

"Helios…"

He gently kissed her on the lips as the Neo-Soldiers wiped away tears of joy. No longer needed there, Iris faded away, but not before presenting the Sailor Neo-Soldiers with their new dream powers. "Remember that the greatest power you have is your friendship," she told them before finally disappearing.

Chibi-Usa reached up and touched her lips, still burning from Helios' kiss. She now knew she was alive, for her heart was jumping for joy. Helios helped her up and pulled her against his body.

"I love you, Serenity," he said tenderly. "I always have and I always will."

She smiled, then shyly reached up and kissed him again, this time more passionately than the first. Venus looked up at Uranus and winked.

"It looks like the princess of Silver Millennium has finally found her Prince Charming."


	20. Act 19 Homecoming

Act Nineteen - Homecoming

The palace was abuzz with excitement. The Silver Crystal was back were it belonged and the Sailor Neo-Soldiers were finally coming home, safe and sound. Makoto was already busy in the ballroom, decorating for their welcome home party.

"Minako-chan, hand me those pink steamers please," she ordered as Rei helped her hang up the banner.

"Don't you think you're going just a tad bit overboard with the decorations, Mako-chan?" Minako commented, handing her the roll of streamers.

"King Endymion told me to make sure this was the best party ever, and. I, for one, do not intend to disappoint him. Besides, they deserve the best for saving Crystal Tokyo from Queen Jade's forces."

"That's true," Minako admitted. "I can't wait to see my precious Anzura again. I'm so proud to her and of all the other Neo-Soldiers. They really did a good job."

Minako's guardian cat Artemis entered the ballroom, checking on the girls. He looked around at the preparations, satisfied with the way things were going. "Looking good, girls," he complimented them. "Ami-chan just received a call from Tomoko-chan. The Sailor Neo-Soldiers should be arriving in about thirty minutes."

"Thirty minutes!" Makoto exclaimed, almost falling off the ladder she was standing on. "I haven't even started on the cake yet."

"Don't worry about it, Mako-chan. I'm sure they will understand."

Makoto climbed down the ladder and handed the box of balloons to Minako. "You take over in here. I've got to begin making that cake. Amaya will never forgive me if I don't."

"Mako-chan!"

But it was too late. Makoto ran to the kitchen, leaving Minako in charge of the decorations. Artemis rolled his eyes, doubtful of his mistress's abilities.

"Well, this should be interesting," he mused.

"Shut up, Artemis!"

* * *

The Neo-Soldiers, Helios, and Diana arrived back in Crystal Tokyo, right on schedule, all happy to finally be home again. They landed in the garden where just a short time before the Sailor Neo-Soldiers began their journey.

"Where is everyone?" Amaya wondered, noticing that nobody was around to welcome them home. "They knew we were coming, right?"

"I guess they're waiting for us inside," Katsuna said, heading toward the entrance to the palace. "Come on, guys!"

Everybody but Helios and Chibi-Usa followed Katsuna inside. Standing outside, they could hear the shouts of "Surprise!" as the Neo-Soldiers entered the ballroom.

Chibi-Usa smiled and started to go in too, but Helios held her back."Let's wait a few minutes before we join the party," he suggested. "There will be plenty of time to celebrate later."

Chibi-Usa didn't argue with him. To her, just to be here with him was celebration enough. She sighed as she rested her head on his shoulder, staring at the incredible sunrise.

"It's beautiful, isn't it, Helios?" she asked. "I think this is probably my favorite time of day, when the sun comes up, chasing away the night. With the dawn, there's always the beginning of a new future, full of surprises just waiting to be discovered. Anything is possible."

Helios smiled at her obvious happiness, thinking she had never looked more beautiful. The sunrise paled in comparison to the light in her eyes. At that moment, he knew that he wanted to wake up beside her every morning for the rest of his life, watching the sunrise together.

"Serenity, there's something I want to give to you," he said, pulling a small object from his pocket. "I meant to send this back to you, but something inside my heart told me to keep it."

He opened his hand, revealing Chibi-Usa's missing necklace. She gasped, surprised that Helios had found the star locket she lost that day in Elysion. She thought it was gone forever, buried under the blanket of flowers.

"I would like you to have it back as a symbol of my love for you," he continued, "and as a promise that you will agree to be my wife."

Chibi-Usa was completely speechless. Helios wanted to marry her? It was so soon, yet it felt so right. She nodded her head "yes," not trusting her voice, and he placed the locket around her neck as it began to play its secret melody.

"This song…" she whispered. It was the same tune she heard the night before, when she was acting as lookout. "It's beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you are, my maiden," he replied, lifting up her chin. "I love you, Serenity."

"I love you, too, Helios."

He bent down and kissed her softly on the mouth, sealing the promise they had made to each other.

"Thank you, Helios," she said when they finally parted.

"For what?" he asked.

"For making my dream come true."

* * *

The two lovers entered the ballroom, looking very much in love. Chibi-Usa wore a faint pink blush on her cheeks as she thought of what had just happened. They were engaged! She could barely believe it. She had dreamed of this for so long, and for it to actually happen was unreal.

The princess looked around the room, taking in everything around her. It felt so good to be home, surrounded by all the people she loved. Everyone was in high spirits, especially the Neo-Soldiers, who were giving everybody the play-by-play account of their battles. Makoto was in the center of the room, cutting the delicious five-layer chocolate cake she managed to throw together.

Spotting their niece, Hotaru and Shingo made their way over to Chibi-Usa and Helios. "Welcome home, sweetheart," Shingo said, giving Chibi-Usa a quick peck on the cheek. "Your aunt and I are really proud of you."

"Thank you, Uncle Shingo."

Hotaru gave Chibi-Usa a hug, then turned to welcome Helios. "I'm so glad you are well, Priest Helios-sama. The king and queen were extremely concerned about your disappearance. I hope you will accept my deepest condolences for Aurora's death. She will be sorely missed."

"I appreciate your sympathy, Queen Hotaru-sama," Helios replied, somewhat sorrowfully.

Chibi-Usa squeezed his hand, feeling his pain. Helios had told her how Aurora shielded him from Damian's attack, sacrificing her life to save his. She would be forever grateful to the loyal Maenad who protected her master until the end.

"Speaking of my parents," she said, trying to change the subject, "where are they? I don't see them anywhere. Helios and I have something to ask them."

Hotaru looked up at the staircase and smiled, causing Chibi-Usa to turn around. Her father was walking down the steps, carrying her mother in his arms. Neo-Queen Serenity had yet to fully recover from her illness, but she was insistent on attending the party.

"Mother! Father!"

Chibi-Usa dashed across the room to her parents, glad to see that her mother was recovering. King Endymion set his wife down when they reached the bottom of the staircase, and the two of them showered their only daughter with hugs and kisses.

"Let me look at you, my darling," Serenity said, holding her at arm's length. "There's something different about you, I can sense it. You're in love, aren't you?"

Chibi-Usa smiled as Helios walked over to the spot where they were standing and kneeled before the king and queen. King Endymion nodded, giving the priest permission to stand in their presence.

"Your Majesty, your daughter is a very special young lady," he said, reaching for her hand. "I have asked her to become my wife and she has accepted my proposal. We have come to ask your blessing."

King Endymion glanced at his daughter, who was gazing adoringly at her lover. _She must really love him,_ he thought. Though he was reluctant to let her go, he knew in his heart it was time to let her grow up. Neo-Queen Serenity smiled her approval. They both knew that Chibi-Usa and Helios were destined for each other.

"Of course we give our blessing," he finally replied, shaking Helios' hand. "Take care of my daughter, Helios. She's one in a million."

Chibi-Usa gave her father another hug, tears of happiness running down her face. "Thank you, Daddy. I love you."

"I love you too, baby."

* * *

News of Chibi-Usa's and Helios' engagement traveled quickly throughout the ballroom, filling everyone's heart with joy. The king and queen toasted the happy couple, wishing them peace and happiness. It was the birth of a new future, one bright with hopes and dreams.

Masago looked on sadly as Neo-Queen Serenity gave her daughter another hug. Of course, she was happy for Chibi-Usa, but she couldn't help but feel somewhat jealous. It just wasn't fair. Why was Chibi-Usa blessed with two parents who loved her very much, while she was forced to go through life alone? Who would walk her down the aisle at her wedding? Who would give her away?

She could feel a tear run down her face, which she wiped away quickly. This was no time to cry. It was a party, a time to celebrate not only their victory, but Chibi-Usa's engagement as well. There would be plenty of time later to wallow in her misery. Kado gave her a hug.

Determined to have a good time, Masago forced a smile on her face and went to congratulate the couple. Over the years, she had become quite a pro at hiding her true feelings. This would just be another grand performance.

* * *

As King Endymion watched Masago hug Chibi-Usa, he once again felt the urge to reveal his secret, the secret that had burdened his soul since the day of her birth.

Her mother had asked him not to tell Masago, and he had faithfully kept his promise, even after Setsuna's death. Neo-Queen Serenity was the only other person on Earth that knew the truth. It was absolutely killing him inside, not being able to show how he really felt.

"They certainly do look happy, don't they?" his wife said, reaching for his hand. "It's hard to believe that she is the same little girl who used to sneak into our bed in the middle of the night during the storm. Our Small Lady has blossomed into a beautiful young woman right before our eyes."

Endymion nodded his head, not really paying attention to what him wife was saying. His eyes were focused on Masago, who looked so much like Setsuna, it made him want to cry.

"You're thinking about her again," she observed. "Why don't you go talk to her, Mamo-chan? There's no law against polite conversation."

"I shouldn't," he replied, taking a sip of champagne. "I have no right. Besides, I doubt she would want to talk to me if she knew the truth."

"But she doesn't. So, just go over there and ask her to dance with you. What could be the harm in one little innocent waltz?

She smiled, then shoved him in Masago's direction. Endymion supposed he ought to be grateful to have such an understanding wife, but even she could not comprehend the pain of living with such a dark secret. Just even looking at the Plutonian princess made his heart ache. Nevertheless, he continued toward the corner of the room where Masago was sitting alone.

"Princess Masago, may I have this dance?"

Masago looked up, thinking the voice belonged to Kado, who had gone to get her a glass of champagne. Instead, she was surprised to discover that it was King Endymion who had asked her to dance. She took the hand he offered and followed him to the center of the room.

Haruka and Michiru, who were providing the music, began performing an exquisite piece, ironically titled _Secrets of the Heart_. The king pulled her close, enjoying one of the rare moments alone with Masago.

Masago rested her chin on his shoulder, wondering why the king wanted to dance with her. She thought King Endymion looked as if he wanted to tell her something, but was holding back. It wasn't the first time she had sensed it. At her mother's funeral, the king had taken her aside and started to say something to her, but their discussion was cut short by the appearance of Chibi-Usa and Neo-Queen Serenity. After that, he never made another attempt to talk to her about what he wanted to tell her that day.

The song eventually ended, much to King Endymion's sorrow. Masago kindly thanked him for the dance and turned to leave.

"Tell her, Mamoru," a voice whispered in his ear as he watched Masago walk away.

He knew that voice. It was Setsuna's, releasing him from the promise he made so long ago. The king gently touched Masago's arm.

"Masako, wait…"

She turned around, wondering how he knew her secret nickname. Her mother was the only person who ever called her Masako. Not even Kado called her that.

"King Endymion-sama?"

For a moment, he was speechless. There was so much to tell her, so much he wanted to share. He had missed so much. He reached out and caressed her cheek. Then he started to speak, his voice trembling with emotion.

"Masako, I want you to know just how proud I am of you, how proud I've always been, and I know if your mother was alive, she would feel the same way. You have grown into a beautiful young woman, one any man would be honored to call his daughter."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," she replied softly, wondering why he was telling her all this.

He pulled her toward him and gave her a hug. "I'm proud to call you my daughter," he whispered into her ear.

"What?" she asked, looking into his deep blue eyes which were filled with tears. "King Endymion-sama, you're my father?"

He nodded his head, causing her eyes to tear up as well. It was unbelievable. King Endymion was the father she always prayed for. Masago threw her arms around his neck, crying tears of happiness. She was part of a family again.

"I always loved you, Masako," her father declared, holding her close. "And I always will."

From an empty corner, away from prying eyes, Setsuna witnessed the tender scene between Masago and her father with a serene smile on her face. The secret had finally been revealed, and she couldn't be happier.

"Be happy, Masako," Setsuna whispered before disappearing into the air.


	21. Act 20 New Beginnings

Act Twenty - New Beginnings

The day had finally arrived. It was the day of Princess Lady Serenity's and Priest Helios' wedding, and everyone in Crystal Tokyo was filled with a sense that this would be the beginning of a new era, the era of dreams.

The ceremony would take place in the temple of Elysion, which Makoto had decorated beautifully with thousands of red roses, Chibi-Usa's favorite flower.

As the groom entered the temple, the sweet perfume of the roses greeted him like a cool breeze in the desert heat. The wedding was not scheduled to begin for another couple of hours, but there was something he had to do beforehand.

He slowly walked over the altar in front of the room and lit a simple white candle. The flame gave off a warm glow, much like the spirit of the woman the candle was lit in remembrance of. Then Helios kneeled before the altar, holding in his hand a perfect white rose, from which he now began to pluck its soft, fragrant petals. They fell gently to the ground as if they were snowflakes, covering the altar in a blanket of white.

"Aurora…"

The sound of the deceased Maenad's name echoed throughout the empty cathedral. Helios could feel her spirit surround him, comforting and peaceful.

"Aurora," he repeated, now in a small whisper. "I want to thank you for all you have done for me. I wound not be here today if it weren't for your sacrifice…"

A knot formed in his throat as he remembered that day. For the rest of his life, he would be forever be haunted by the image of Aurora dying in his arms, so young and pure.

"I want you to be happy, Helios," she had said during those last precious moments.

"I am happy," he replied, wiping away a tear. "And it's all because of you."

Helios glanced up at the candle. The burning fire began to flicker, dancing with joy. He smiled at the sight, and he knew that somewhere up in heaven, she was looking down at him, beaming with happiness.

"You truly are my guardian angel, Aurora."

* * *

"Chibi-Usa-chan, you look beautiful," Masago said, buttoning up the back of her dress.

Chibi-Usa blushed prettily at her new sister's compliment. She did look absolutely radiant in a gorgeous white silk gown trimmed with delicate lace. Shizu, who was serving as her maid of honor, picked up her veil and placed it on top of her head.

The bride stared at her reflection in the mirror, still unbelieving of the fact that this was her wedding day, the day she had dreamed of for so long. After today, she would finally be Helios' wife.

She fingered the star locket that was draped around her neck, the symbol of her love. She had not taken it off since the day of her return to Crystal Tokyo.

"You're going to need something new, something borrowed, something old, and something blue," Nagisa reminded her, pulling out a brand new lace handkerchief and handing it to Chibi-Usa. "Here's something new. I'm sure you're going to need it, Chibi-Usa-chan. I know I'll need mine."

"And here's something borrowed," Tomoko said, handing her a pair of perfectly round white pearl stud earrings. "I know you've had your eye on these, but I want them back as soon as possible. They're very valuable."

"I've got the something blue," Anzura exclaimed gleefully, giving Chibi-Usa a small box wrapped in silver paper and tied with a pink bow.

Chibi-Usa carefully unwrapped the gift, trying not to tear the paper, as Anzura watched with a mischievous gleam in her eye. When she lifted up the lid, she understood why. It was a sexy baby blue teddy with matching garter belt.

"Anzura-chan!" Chibi-Usa cried, her face red with embarrassment.

"Do you like it? I spent practically the entire day at _Victoria's Secret,_ trying to find the perfect gift. I'm sure Helios-sama will absolutely love it."

She placed the teddy back in the box and set it inside her suitcase for the honeymoon. "I think I'll save that for tonight," Chibi-Usa replied, putting on the garter belt. "Thanks, Anzura-chan."

"Now all you need is something old," Amaya observed.

Unbeknownst to the rest of the girls, Masago had snuck out of the room. She now returned, holding in her hand a strand of onyx prayer beads.

"These once belong to my mother," she said softly, placing the beads in Chibi-Usa's hand. "They're antiques, almost 1500 years old. I want to have them."

"Are you sure?" Chibi-Usa asked. "Setsuna was your mother. You should keep them."

"She was your mother too, Chibi-Usa. Perhaps not in the biological sense, but she always loved you like a daughter. I know she would want you to have them."

"Thank you, Masago."

The two girls hugged tightly. Though it had been strange at first when it was revealed that she was King Endymion's daughter, Chibi-Usa truly saw Masago as her sister. Though they had always been close, there now was a special bond between them, one linked by blood, as well as friendship. They were family, and Chibi-Usa could not have asked for a better sister.

Neo-Queen Serenity entered the room and asked for a few moments alone with her only daughter before the wedding. After a few final words of encouragement, the bridesmaids quietly exited and prepared for the procession down the aisle.

"Mother, I'm getting married today," Chibi-Usa said, more her benefit than the queen's.

"I know, sweetheart."

The queen smiled, trying to hold back her tears. Her daughter never looked more beautiful than she did at this moment.

"Serenity, I wish you much love and happiness as you begin on this new journey, but I want you to also know that you will always be in your father's and my heart. In our eyes, you will always be our precious Small Lady."

"Mother…"

Mother and daughter hugged, holding onto this last memory. Tears clouded Chibi-Usa's eyes as she realized that she was no longer a child, able to lean on her parents for support. It was time to start out on a new life with Helios.

"I love you, Mommy."

"I love you, too, my Lady."

Diana interrupted their tender moment with news that the ceremony was ready to begin. "It's time, Sma… I mean, Serenity."

This was it.

* * *

As the organ filled the temple with the strains of the _Wedding March,_ King Endymion offered his arm to his daughter, tears in his eyes.

The members of the party were already at the front of the room, their eyes focused on the entrance. Diana, who was acting as flower girl in her human form, proceeded down the aisle first, tossing hundreds of blood red rose petals on the gold carpet. Then everyone rose as the bride and her father appeared, murmuring at her beauty.

Chibi-Usa looked ahead at the altar, where Helios was standing proudly. Their eyes locked, and to the two lovers, it was as if nobody else was there. They were alone in their own private universe.

When they reached the altar, the king turned to his daughter and lifted her veil, kissing her tenderly on the cheek. Then he gave her hand to Helios.

"Take care of her, Helios," he said before taking his seat next to the queen.

The priest presiding over the ceremony stepped forward and placed his hands over their grasp. "Today begins a new journey for these two people. What once was two separate lives will now become one. They will share dreams and nightmares, success and disappointment, highs and lows, good times and bad, but they will always draw strength from each other through all of life's mysteries. May I please have the rings?"

Shizu and Goku, serving as Helios' best man, handed the simple gold bands to the priest, who blessed them with holy water. "These bands will be a symbol of your love and commitment toward each other. Helios-sama, place this ring upon her finger and repeat after me: With this ring, I take you as my partner in life and vow to love you completely, with all my mind, body, and soul, until the day I take my last breath upon this soil."

Helios slipped the band on her left hand and repeated the priest's words as Chibi-Usa fought to hold back her tears of happiness. The priest then handed the other ring to her and asked her to place it on Helios' hand.

Her voice quivered with emotion as she repeated the same vows that Helios had said to her. There wasn't a dry eye in the temple, including Helios'. The love between them was unmistakable.

After they exchanged rings, Chibi-Usa and Helios each lit a flame, which they used to light a large white candle as a sign of their forever lasting love and devotion.

"May the Lord keep this flame burning eternally in the hearts of these two lovers. I now pronounce you husband and wife. Helios-sama, you may kiss the bride."

Helios cupped her chin in his hand and kissed his new wife softly on the lips, causing the locket around her neck to open and begin to play its mystical melody for everyone to hear. From her seat in the front pew, Neo-Queen Serenity looked over at her husband and reached for his hand, a smile on her face.

"And they lived happily ever after."


	22. Conclusion

Conclusion

King Helios nervously paced around the room, frequently looking toward the door that lead to their bedroom. This was pure torture. What was taking so long?

"Your Majesty, would you please just sit down?" Masago asked, gently bouncing her young daughter on her knee. "You are driving me crazy, walking back and forth like that."

"Sorry," he apologized, taking a seat next to his mother-in-law. "I guess I'm a little bit excited. I still can't believe that any minute now, I going to be a father."

Several years had passed since Helios' and Chibi-usa's wedding, and there had been a couple of major changes in their life. Shortly after the wedding, the king and queen decided to step down from their thrones, allowing Chibi-usa and Helios to be crowned the new queen and king of the kingdom. The new rulers decided to move the capital from Crystal Tokyo to Elysion, where they built the Dream Palace.

The Sailor Neo-Soldiers were all married with children of their own. After the coronation, they took over their mothers' (or father's in Goku's case) positions on the royal court and were crowned rulers of their respective planets. Now, they lived happily in the Dream Palace with the new king and queen.

"Well, it may take awhile," Masago's husband Kado informed the king. "Masago was in labor for over sixteen hours before little Tokemi was born."

Helios looked down at his watch, growing impatient. It had already been about seven hours since his wife went into labor. He wasn't sure he could wait another nine hours.

Finally, the door opened and Hotaru appeared with a huge smile on her face. "Congratulations, King Helios-sama. You are the father of a beautiful, healthy body girl."

He jumped up, anxious to meet his new daughter. "May I go in?"

"Of course, Your Majesty," she replied, showing him inside.

He found Queen Lady Serenity in bed, cradling a little bundle of joy wrapped in a soft pink blanket in her arms. She wore a serene smile upon her face, which widened as Helios sat down beside her.

"She's perfect, Helios," Chibi-usa said softly, pulling the blanket away from the baby's face so he could see her better. "Absolutely perfect."

In Helios' mind there was no better word to describe his new daughter. She was perfect, from her plump rosy cheeks to the mass of curly blue hair on the top of her head.

Chibi-usa gave the little angel to her husband for him to hold. The bond between father and daughter formed instantly as the child began to coo happily in Helios' arms. He never knew he could love someone so much after such a short time, but he knew now.

"What should we name her?" Helios asked. "Serenity?"

She contemplated the question, searching for the perfect name for their little girl, as the baby opened her eyes to the world. Her eyes were the same golden color as her father's.

"We shall call her Dreama Aurora, our beautiful golden dream," she replied.

He couldn't think of a more suitable name for the little princess of Elysion.

"Dreama Aurora, may all your dreams come true."


End file.
